The Inferons of Bintoss
by the lurker
Summary: Insisting that the Alphans evacuate to an unknown planet, Helena & Victor suspect that Commander Koenig is suffering from a mental lapse. Season One friendly.
1. Chapter One

SPACE: 1999

"The Inferons of Bintoss"

It streamed along unnoticed against the ceiling, making its way through the darkened corridors simulating night. He yawned heavily as he passed under it, oblivious to its presence; sleep being the only abiding factor on Victor Bergman's mind. It leapt from its hiding place, landing on the back of the professor's head. It lingered momentarily, then glided down across his back, settling silently in a spot on the floor. Victor abruptly stopped walking. He sensed someone--no, _something_, behind him. He turned around and looked, but there was nothing there, just an overly shiny floor. He shook his head at himself, and continued on, his footsteps echoing down the polished floor as he headed toward his quarters. He made a mental note to tell the maintenance crew to concentrate a little less on polishing shiny spots into the floor, and put that energy into cleaning the sticky chairs in the recreation room.

As Victor's footsteps grew softer with distance, it moved along the floor, turning when it found the hallway leading to senior staff quarters. Gliding effortlessly under the door of Helena Russell's quarters, it moved through her room, until it hovered over her forehead as she slept soundly in her bed. Her thoughts were interesting, and not unlike that of Professor Bergman's, albeit her physical experiences of the one in charge were quite different in nature. Still, all of these carbon-based life forms seemed to have one thing in common: primitive brain functions, and therefore no great consequence of loss in the flow of the universe. After a few moments, it flew through the wall, leaving Helena unaware that she had ever had a late-night visitor.

His breathing was heavier than the others, and for a moment it hovered above his sleeping figure, unsure of his state. Convinced that he was asleep, the soft white light landed weightlessly on his forehead and stayed there for some time, slowly growing in intensity of brightness. As the concentration of the beam grew, Commander John Koenig began to toss with discomfort in his sleep, small beads of perspiration breaking out over his forehead. After several minutes, discomfort turned into pain, and within moments, searing agony. Grabbing his head, Koenig screamed as he bolted upright from his sleep. The beam flew out through the ceiling quickly and quietly, leaving the commander bathed in sweat and panting from the distress, yet unknowing of the eminent danger facing Moonbase Alpha as it catapulted toward the next star system of planets.

* * *

Victor glanced up once again at the lone figure seated in the center of the elevated office. And he was yet again struck by the pallor of the face gripped with tension. Victor frowned; John didn't look right, and he was too quiet. Paul, Sandra Kano and Alan brushed past him, the latter touching his arm softly.

"Come on, Victor, weekly Command Conference.......if I have to go, you're not going to bag on it."

Bergman nodded, and looked up again at John, who more slowly than he should have, stood from his desk, and exited out the back door of his office. Victor's lips pulled tightly together; something was wrong. But his concerns would have to wait until after the weekly meeting. With his brows furrowed deeply, Bergman left the room and made his way to the conference room.

* * *

Helena sat on John's left, Paul on his right, with the others around the table. Victor sat quietly across from Koenig, observing him. The commander had a slight sheen of sweat across his brow, and his color had grown even more pasty than Victor thought possible. It seemed to Bergman that he was a man trying to mask pain. He glanced over at Helena, but could see from her posture that she was too caught up in the excitment of planet exploration to notice much else.

"The fourth planet in this system, might support carbon-based life forms, Commander, we won't know until we're within scanner range."

Victor noticed John flinch slightly, like a man fighting pain, then relax a moment later, as though released from it.

Sandra frowned at him, "Commander?"

Koenig acknowledged Sandra, "Yes, I heard you," then he looked to Kano, "You'll start computer on calculating the best living areas for an Operation Exodus landing--"

"--Operation Exodus? Aren't you rushing things a little, John?"

All eyes were glued to the commander.

He glared at Helena, "Were my instructions unclear, doctor?"

Helena was hurt by his cold tone, but kept her voice even, "Well, no, but normally we search for signs of life and do a complete planetary analysis before we--"

His voice belied the tension he was feeling, "--I didn't ask you what we normally do. I gave instructions regarding what I _want_ done this time. Is it a problem?"

She frowned at him, the hurt rising in her eyes, "No, it's not a problem."

He stood, "Good, glad to hear it." He glared at everyone else at the table, "You all have things to do. Let's get busy."

Koenig shot quickly out of the room, the others following some distance behind. Victor thought about saying a word to Helena, but decided his first order of business was checking in on John, who was behaving more than just strangely. By the time he reached Command Center, the doors to John's office were closed. He took a deep breath, and quickly made his way around to the hallway where the back door was located. He pressed a button on his commlock, and the door slid open. Victor stepped inside, and stood against the door as it closed, trying to adjust to the darkness of the room. After a moment, his eyes fully dilated, he saw Koenig at his desk, his elbows leaning on it, his head in his hands. The only light in the room was coming from the small desk lamp. Bergman took in a large mouthful of calming air and quietly approached. The commander seemed oblivious to his presence.

He pitched his voice low and sweet, "John?"

Koenig started, but didn't look up, "Don't you knock?"

"Only on Tuesdays...." He paused for a moment, taking in the pain on Koenig's face. "John, you don't look so good."

"I'm all right, Victor."

Bergman stepped closer, "You looked like you were in pain during the meeting, and...." He paused, his timbre growing soft, "you were a bit short with Helena."

Koenig shook his head, his voice thick with guilt, "I shouldn't have reacted like that, I know; I didn't mean to...."

Victor put a comforting hand on Koenig's shoulder, and gently moving John's hands out of the way, softly slid his other hand around to feel the commander's forehead.

"You're too warm, John, too warm. It should be impossible, but, I think you're running a fever." Victor placed his fingers against the large artery in Koenig's neck and frowned as he felt the man's pulse race. He gently took John's wrist in his hand and examined the monitor strapped to it, "Hmmm.....your life signs read normal."

Koenig leaned his head forward again into his hands, grimacing in pain.

"A headache as well..."

It was a statement and not a question, but Koenig nodded, "Yeah, bad one."

Victor placed his hands on Koenig's shoulders and gently began to squeeze the taunt muscles underneath them. John groaned in pain.

"Yes, I'll bet that smarts. Just try and relax a little." Victor continued to knead the commander's muscles with his hands, applying more pressure as he could feel the muscles beginning to give way slightly, "When did this start?"

Koenig's voice sounded calmer, "Last night. I woke up in the middle of the night, it felt like I had daggers stuck in my head. Couldn't go back to sleep."

"Why didn't you call for Helena or me?"

"I thought it would pass, Victor....and it did get a little better during the Command Conference, but now...." His voice died out as the pain intensified.

Bergman stopped the massage and rubbed a soothing hand across Koenig's back, "All right, my boy, the discussion's over." The professor pressed a button on the commander's desk panel, "Helena, could you please come to the commander's office?"

Even through the communications system, Russell could see the worry in Victor's eyes.

"Is everything all right, Victor?"

"More or less.... a little less with some of us."

Helena nodded, "I'll be right there."

John reclined back in his chair, and Victor leaned against the edge of the commander's desk, his arms crossed in front of his chest, hovering within an easy reach.

Koenig looked up at his mentor, rallying his case once more, "Victor, I'm sure it's nothing... just overtired, that's all."

"Uh-huh."

"I didn't want to worry her...."

"Mmmm...."

After a moment, he smiled slightly at the older man, "You're not buying this, are you?"

Victor grinned at him, "Not a word, and if I were you, I wouldn't use that excuse with Helena.... not if you expect to still be in one piece after she's through with you."

John winced in pain, and put a hand to his head, "I'm not sure I still want to be in one piece; it hurts too damned much."

Concern tightening his brow, Victor rested a caring hand on Koenig's arm, "Just hang in there, John, Helena should be here any minute now."

The commander let out a tight sigh of air and nodded just as Helena entered through the back door. Her eyes squinted in the dim light, and she pressed a button on the wall panel to bring up the illumination.

"Why is it so dark in here?"

Koenig flinched in reaction to the brightness in the room, and Victor looked over at the doctor.

"Helena, turn them back down a bit, eh?"

Frowning, Dr. Russell did as she was asked, and walked over to the two men, kneeling next to Koenig's chair.

"John?"

He forced himself to smile at her, "Don't look so worried, I'm sure it's nothing. Just a little headache...." He indicated Victor with a nod of his head, "The overprotective among us asserted his will."

She smiled at him and stroked his face, "Victor was right, now let me have a look."

Russell pulled a small device from her medical pack and scanned Koenig.

"Everything reads normally." She looked at the monitor on his wrist, "Your monitor shows no abnormalities either...." Helena looked at Victor for an explanation.

"Don't look at me, look at him... he's pale, obviously in pain. Forget the instruments, Helena, feel his head, take his pulse with your hand...."

Dr. Russell put a hand across John's forehead, and then placed her fingers against the carotid artery in his neck.

"You do feel feverish, John, and your pulse is racing." She pulled a hypodermic from her medical pack, rolled up his sleeve, and placed it against his arm, "In Alpha's environment, you shouldn't be able to contract any viral or bacterial disease, but I'm going to take a blood sample, just to be sure." She looked into his bright blue eyes, which were dulled with discomfort, "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Just the headache...."

Frowning, she reached into her medical pack and extracted another hypodermic, and filled it with medication. She held it gently to Koenig's neck, and pressed a button, the end lit up as it expelled its contents.

"That should help." He looked at her, the ache in his eyes fading slightly, she brushed a hand across his cheek, "Don't worry, it was just a muscle relaxant and something to dull the pain."

He reached for her hand, holding it in his, his voice soft with fatigue, "I'm sorry about before."

She smiled at him, squeezing the hand holding hers, "And I'm sorry I didn't realize something was wrong." After a moment, she looked at Victor, "Help me get him to his quarters, he should rest for awhile."

Bergman's voice was gentle, "Come on, John, off we go...."

Victor lifted Koenig out of the chair, and with Helena on one side and Bergman on the other, they escorted the commander to his quarters.


	2. Chapter Two

Koenig was asleep when the small beam of light penetrated the door to his quarters and touched down on his forehead. The beam intensified and he stirred in pain. The female voice was melodious but without inflection.

"_Your subconscious will is not strong enough to resist us; you will commence Operation Exodus and evacuate all the carbon-based life forms of Alpha to the fourth planet of our system, immediately. Any delay will result in your experiencing excruciating pain."_

Koenig held his head with his hands as he tossed on the mattress, the pain growing exponentially as he fought the voice in his mind.

"_Our planet can sustain carbon-based life forms, you will explain this to your people. You will tell them that Bintoss is the paradise your people have been searching for... You have no choice, Commander. Submit, or die a most painful and slow death."_

His voice was a bare whisper of agony, "No.... oh God, please make it stop....."

He screamed in agony before finally submitting to the pull of unconsciousness, and passing out on the bed.


	3. Chapter Three

Koenig entered Command Center, much of his normal air and authority having returned.

Paul smiled at him, "Commander.... we weren't expecting you back on your feet so quickly, glad you're okay."

He nodded at them all in acknowledgment, but his face was tight with strain, "There's a lot of work to do. Paul, what's the status of Operation Exodus for the planet Bintoss?"

Morrow's smile quickly faded, "Bintoss, Commander?"

Koenig glared at him, as though he were a disobedient schoolboy, "Yes, Bintoss, the fourth planet in this system."

Paul and Sandra looked at each other in confusion.

Sandra spoke up, "Commander, we have just begun the necessary scans on the planet."

"Scans? I didn't order any scans. My last order was to begin Operation Exodus."

Victor stepped forward, "John, surely you don't mean for us to evacuate to some planet that we haven't even checked for atmosphere?"

Koenig turned toward Bergman, the anger in his eyes surprising his mentor, "Don't tell me what I mean and don't mean by an order, Professor," his voice took on a slightly monotone timbre as he continued, "the planet can fully sustain carbon-based life forms, and it's the paradise we've been looking for..."

All motion in Command Center stopped as the crew stared at him in shock. Koenig became agitated.

"What is the matter with all of you? I gave an order, I expect it to be carried out."

Victor stepped closer, setting a light hand on the commander's arm, "John, I think you're overwrought, why don't we go into the office and discuss this--"

Koenig tore away from Bergman's grip, "--There's nothing to discuss. We're evacuating to Bintoss. That is unless you're all planning a mutiny."

Alan spoke up, "Commander, no one here would betray you; you know that."

"Then do as I ask."

Alan's mouth tightened, "But Commander, we need to at least send a survey Eagle first, and establish that the planet is capable of sustaining us."

The ferocity in Koenig's tone sent Alan's stomach into his chest, "I told you that Bintoss is exactly what we're looking for, and still you question my authority--"

Victor broke in, trying to diffuse the situation, "--Bintoss. You keep referring to the fourth planet by that name. Why?"

Koenig stared at Bergman as if his mentor had gone mad, "Because Bintoss is its name... what else would you have me call it?"

"How do you know that?"

John blinked at Victor: it was a simple question, but one that Koenig couldn't answer. He searched within his mind, but it was blank. He could feel the perspiration begin to trickle down the back of his neck as he pressed within for an explanation. And then the sound of the melodious, unfeeling voice filled his head, and so did the pain. Unbearable, excruciating pain. He screamed, grabbed his head, and sank to his knees. Victor was by his side instantly, supporting him with an arm around his shoulders.

Bergman looked up at Paul, "Get Helena up here, fast." He pulled Koenig close to him, "Easy John, easy."

Koenig looked up at Bergman, tears of agony on his face, "Victor, help me, please.....oh God, the pain. I can't take this pain. She's going to kill me."

"Who's going to kill you, John? Who?"

Koenig's voice and demeanor were working toward hysteria, "The woman from Bintoss. Victor," the commander looked up at his old friend, terror filling his eyes, "I hear her in my mind. She's in my mind! I can't fight her, Victor. I can't, it _hurts_...._so_...._much_. VICTOR! _Please_....."

Victor swallowed hard, trying to clear the lump that had formed in his throat. He forced his voice to stay calm.

"I'm here, John. I won't let anything happen to you." He looked sadly up at the others in Main Mission, his eyes filling with moisture, "None of us will."

Sandra's face was streaked with tears, Paul and Alan barely able to keep theirs at bay; Kano had to turn away, unable to observe the breakdown of the man they all respected, and had entrusted with their lives.

Koenig grabbed Victor's arms tightly, pulling into him as far as he could go. Victor responded by holding John firmly, trying to make him feel secure.

"Easy now...." He turned to Paul, "What in the hell is keeping Helena?"

Paul shook his head, "Don't know."

And at that moment, Dr. Russell and her medical support staff hurried into Main Mission, pulling a gurney behind them. The sight which greeted her caused Helena to stop abruptly. She stared at Victor, who cradled a terrified man in his arms. She knew it was John, but her conscious mind couldn't process it.

Victor's voice was soft as he met her gaze, "He's much worse, Helena."

She nodded, swallowing down her fear as she moved toward them, "Let's get him to the Med Lab. I need to run tests."

Helena reached for John, who recoiled in fear, and buried his face into Bergman's chest.

His cries pierced her heart as painfully as a lance, "Victor, don't let her take me. Please, she's going to kill me." Koenig wept with a fear from deep within, "Victor, don't, please...."

Bergman forcefully pulled the Commander's face to look up into his own, "John, listen to me. There is no one here who would hurt you." He could see that Koenig wasn't hearing him, "John, do you trust me? Do you?" Koenig slowly nodded, so Victor continued, "Then I want you to let us take you to the Medical Lab."

"You'll be with me?"

The vulnerability in John's voice and eyes tugged at Victor's mechanical heart. He closed his eyes momentarily, in an effort to keep his spiraling emotions in control, then he looked at Koenig and smiled gently.

"I won't leave you, John, I promise."

Bergman could feel Koenig begin to relax against him, and he let out a long breath of air that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He gently stroked the back of John's head as the medical technicians prepared the gurney.

Victor looked up at Helena, "Let me get him onto the gurney, there's no need to frighten him further."

Helena nodded silently, but she wanted to scream. She wanted to cry out against the pain in her heart caused by the man she loved more than any other; the man who didn't seem to know her anymore. Victor gently pulled Koenig to his feet, and guided him to lie down on the gurney. John's death grip on Bergman's sleeve never lessened as they silently rolled him out of Command Center and toward the Med Lab.

Paul swallowed hard, then spoke with authority, "All right, everyone, let's get back to work. We have a lot of analysis to do on that fourth planet. Dr. Russell will take care of the Commander."

The staff moved back to their stations, and Sandra leaned in toward Paul, keeping her voice low, "What do you think happened to him?"

He shook his head, "I don't know, San, I just don't know."

"Do you think any of what he said is true?"

Paul looked at her sadly, "No, I'm afraid it's only true in his mind, San."

Sandra Benes looked away. In her heart she couldn't accept that Commander John Koenig was so ill he had become mentally incapacitated. But then, the events that had unfolded before her eyes were difficult, if not impossible, to refute.


	4. Chapter Four

Helena paced the length of the Med Lab, Victor calmly watching her.

"I don't understand it; the blood tests, the brain scans, everything reads normal. There's nothing physically wrong with him, Victor."

"At least we've ruled out all the known diseases."

She looked at him, "Yes, but....."

"But it doesn't explain his behavior, nor the fever, rapid heartbeat or pain in his head." Victor sighed and squeezed his hands together, "Helena, we have to consider.....other possibilities."

Helena shook her head, "No, Victor, it can't be a mental breakdown. There's been no traumatic event, nothing out of the ordinary, what would have brought it on?"

Victor walked over to her, and put his hands on her arms, "He's been under extraordinary pressure for quite a long while now, Helena. The responsibility of Alpha, 300 some-odd lives, trying to find a new home; all of that lies squarely on his shoulders. It might be getting to him."

She looked deeply into the dark grey eyes staring at her, "You don't really believe that, do you?"

Victor shrugged as he moved away, "He's a human being, Helena, not superman."

"No, he's not superman, he's John Koenig, and I think we both know he's not likely to crack-up despite the pressures of commanding this moonbase."

"No, it isn't likely. But Helena, as a physician, you know it's possible."

She glared at him, "Victor, do you know what you're saying?"

He nodded and looked down, his voice soft, "I'm saying that my prize-student, commander, and very dear friend might be having some sort of mental lapse, yes."

The anger in her voice was not masked in the least, "I can't accept that. I won't. Everything I know of him testifies against that."

His voice remained calm, "Then find another plausible explanation." She stared at him, tears filling her eyes, he continued, "You can't, can you?"

She turned away, "No."

Victor walked behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders, "I'm sorry, Helena. I know how difficult this is for you, but we have to think of John...."

She turned to face him, anger once again lighting her finely structured face, "I _am_ thinking of John. And I'm telling you I can't accept this."

"You were there, Helena, you saw him. How do you explain his irrational reaction to you?"

"That could be simple transference..."

"Oh, yes, from this woman he's talking to in his mind. That's just perfect isn't it...."

She could hear the stress in Bergman's voice, and remembered that for as much as she was hurting over John, so was Victor. Her features softened as she took his hands in her own.

"The last thing he'd want is for us to fight about this... about him."

Victor nodded, "Right you are." Bergman looked over at the sedated figure on the bed, "But what do we do?"

"You're a physicist, Victor; when you rule out the possible and probable...."

He smiled slightly, "You must consider the remaining quotients no matter how impossible or improbable." His smile faded, "That's all well and good when considering the universe, but how does that apply to John?"

"We've looked at all the physical possibilities, and eliminated them. Let's run some psychological tests next, and see what can be eliminated there."

"And then?"

"Then if those tests are also negative, we'll have to consider that he actually has heard a woman from a planet named Bintoss in his mind." Victor looked at her skeptically, so she continued, "I know, it sounds impossible, but Victor, how many things have happened to us since leaving Earth's orbit? Things that we never thought possible until they happened?"

She presented a cogent case, and Professor Bergman knew it.

"Point well taken."

"Let's get to work then....."

Helena headed toward some lab equipment, and Victor stepped closer to the figure on the bed.

"You knew what you were doing when you chose that one, didn't you?" Victor smiled at his protégé, "You keep fighting it, John, and don't you dare give in." His smile disappeared and his dark eyes filled with tears, his voice growing tight with emotion, "Don't you dare give in."


	5. Chapter Five

Sandra ran the scan a second time to be sure of her findings. They were the same; she turned to Paul.

"Atmospheric scans indicate that the fourth planet in this system is similar to Earth. It has slightly less oxygen, but still breathable for humans."

Paul smiled, "Okay, Kano, anything?"

David Kano turned away from computer, holding a small piece of paper, "There is sufficient water, plant life and lower animal forms to sustain us, and there are no higher life forms currently inhabiting the planet."

Paul turned toward Carter, "Okay Alan, it's all yours now. Take a team down in a survey Eagle, and let's find out what this planet is really like."

Alan nodded, and silently left Command Center. Paul sat down in his chair, and his thoughts turned to the commander. It would be truly ironic if they settled on the fourth planet in this system. Ironic, and in another way, strangely fitting. He frowned at himself. Where had that thought come from? Fitting? There was nothing fitting about the fact that Commander John Koenig was being kept sedated because he could no longer be rational. Sandra looked over at him.

"Paul? You okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Just thinking about the commander...."

"Oh."

He pat her arm, "Hey, Helena hasn't finished all her tests, maybe she'll find a way to help him."

Sandra looked down at her monitor, "I hope so."

"So do I."

* * *

Helena removed the metal band from around Koenig's forehead, and set it down on the tray with the large electronic machine designed to read the wave patterns of the brain.

She turned to Victor, "These wave patterns match the baseline scans run when he took command of Alpha. According to these, there's nothing wrong with him. We're going to have to wake him. Every test I can think of is normal, the only way we're really going to know is by talking to him."

Helena picked up a hypodermic, and held it to John's neck. He began to stir slowly, and Helena couldn't help but hold her breath, waiting for a reaction. His bright blue eyes fluttered open, and he stared at her. After a tense moment, he smiled at her, and her eyes filled with tears despite the smile on her lips. She brushed a soft hand over his forehead.

"How do you feel?"

"A little tired."

Victor leaned in, setting a gentle hand on Koenig's shoulder, "Any pain, John?"

Koenig shook his head, "No."

Helena kept her voice soft, "John, do you remember what happened in Main Mission?"

Koenig's brow furrowed as he searched his mind, but he drew a blank. He shook his head.

Victor's even voice spoke gently, "You insisted that we execute Operation Exodus and evacuate to the fourth planet in this system. A planet that you said is called Bintoss." Koenig stared at Bergman, no recollection coming into his eyes, Victor continued, "John, you said you'd been in contact with a life form from the planet, a woman, you said she wanted to kill you."

"I....I don't remember.....How did I end up here?"

"You collapsed." Victor squeezed the shoulder under his hand, "John, you told me the woman was in your mind, and that you couldn't get away."

Koenig looked away, embarrassed. Helena brushed his hair lightly with her fingers.

"You don't remember any of it, do you?"

He looked up at her, the confusion in his eyes apparent, "No. None of it."

She cupped his face with her hand, "Are you sure you're not in pain, John?"

He nodded, "I'm fine."

She felt his forehead, and took his pulse; there was no sign of any fever or rapid heartbeat. Dr. Russell looked at Bergman.

"He seems fine now, perfectly lucid."

"And still, we have no explanation."

John's voice was slightly weak, "Victor, did I say anything else?"

"No. You were extremely confused though when I asked you to explain how you knew the name of the planet."

"Tell me."

"You got this look on your face that was very faraway, as though you were a machine trying to access a long-filed record. After a few minutes, you looked like you remembered something, but then you grabbed your head in pain and collapsed."

Koenig frowned as he tried to recall what happened. Helena touched his cheek.

"Don't try to force yourself to remember, John."

He looked at her, his voice slightly caustic, "Afraid I'll have a relapse of irrationality?"

Her brows narrowed, "As a matter of fact, Commander, yes, I am."

Victor stopped her with a calm hand on her arm, "I don't think upsetting him is likely to help."

Koenig snarled at Bergman, "I don't need a mother hen."

Victor pat him gently, "Hey, take it easy, John. We're both on your side, remember?"

Paul's voice broke in through the communications panel, "Dr. Russell, please have a member of your medical staff meet Alan in the survey Eagle launch bay in five minutes. We need someone from medical sciences to collect data from the fourth planet."

Helena pressed a wall panel, "Acknowledged."

As Helena gave instructions to a member of her staff, Koenig began screaming, holding his head in pain.

"No! No one can go down there. It's not safe to go to Bintoss." He looked from Victor to Helena, his eyes wide with fear, "Don't you understand me? No one from Alpha can go there, they'll never come back!"

Victor and Helena physically held Koenig down on the bed trying to calm him.

"John, take it easy, calm down." Helena yelled to Matthias, "Bob, I need a hypodermic of Dexetrol, stat."

"Right away!"

Koenig stared at her, his breathing rapid and shallow, "No, Helena, no, don't sedate me. Please, you've got to listen to me. Victor, tell her not to sedate me."

"Shhh, John, I think it might be for the best, before you have a total relapse."

Bob Matthias held the hypodermic to Koenig's neck, and waited for the light to indicate the contents had spilled into the man's bloodstream.

"NO! Don't let anyone go down to that planet, don't.....don't....."

Koenig's body went limp as the sedative took effect. Helena and Victor carefully adjusted him to a comfortable position on the bed, and covered him with a sheet. Helena brushed away a lock of hair that had fallen into his eyes, and Victor could easily see that her nerves were almost shattered. He moved to the other side of the bed, and gently turned her toward him, taking her into his arms. Helena let him hold her, allowing her emotions to spill out.

"I'm so afraid, Victor. I don't want to lose him." Her voice was barely a whisper, "I can't lose him....."

Her sobs jolted her body, and all Victor could do was pull his arms tighter around her. After awhile, Helena turned her face into the crook of his neck, exhaustion overtaking her. Victor lifted her into his arms, and gently placed her on the bed next to Koenig's. He covered her with a blanket, and lowered the light above the bed so that she could fall into a deep sleep. He turned and stood by John for a moment, watching the steady rise and fall of the man's chest. But he wasn't fooled; he could see the slight twitch of John's eyelids, and knew that the commander was experiencing deep pain. He sat on the edge of the bed, and rubbed a hand along Koenig's arm.

"I know you're in pain, John, and I'm sorry; I wish I knew how to help you. All I can do is stay with you, and hope that you know I'm here."

* * *

Alan landed the Eagle with ease, and turned toward his landing party.

"All right, let's try and make this one quick and easy. Darren, you're on water and plant testing, and Washington, you're on confirming that there are no other life forms on this planet, so you two pair up. Sarah, you're on geological, and Lance, you're on agriculture, so you two pair up. Fraser, you're with me." He smiled at all of them, "You know the drill. Check in with me every thirty minutes, and be back here in three hours for liftoff. Let's go."

Alan hit the button for the door, and all six members of the landing party filed out of the Eagle and off to complete their various assignments. None of them had the sense of foreboding that John Koenig had felt for them when he learned of the Eagle's mission. And none of them noticed the small beams of white light carefully trailing each of their paths.


	6. Chapter Six

The large, sterile room was bathed in a bright white light. Glass crystals hung from the ceiling, sprouted from the floor, and extruded out from the walls. Each glass crystal held a beam of light, and within it an indigenous entity from the planet Bintoss, although not all of the crystals were lit. In the center of the room stood a well-protected, circular large glass chamber. Ten crystals were encased in it, but only seven were glowing. The crystals shined with high intensity as each being projected its thoughts into words, which echoed as voices throughout the chamber.

"None of the ones here are as difficult as the Commander," an authoritative male voice stated.

A soft feminine voice replied, "Zentor, I told you he is the most like you were when you were flesh and blood. We will probably _never_ get through to him."

"Peratha, you jump to conclusions too quickly. Natarak will win him over, given enough time."

"I will at that, Zentor. Koenig is difficult, but he is weakening. He will not be able to resist forever. He already grows tired very quickly. And he will make an excellent Inferon for you, Zentor."

"He will at that. This one currently here, the one called Carter, he is also quite intriguing. Do you have a preference, Peratha? After all, you will need to find my Inferon.....attractive."

Peratha laughed, "I prefer Koenig, but since I doubt we will get him without killing him first, I am not opposed to the one known as Carter. He is quite handsome." She paused, then, "And you, Zentor, which of their women interests you?"

"The one called Helena would be my choice for you, Peratha. And for Natarak, I think the one known as Sandra. But I shall leave it up to the two of you, after all, Peratha, they are only Inferons. Whichever one you chose, it will hold your life's essence, and I will no doubt be attracted to it."

"I must work on Koenig more. Most of our people are not strong enough to make the transfer at a distance. We need the Alphans here on Bintoss if we are to succeed."

"It is as you say, Natarak, you have work to do.....and so do we."

* * *

Washington checked the readings again, but there was nothing there. He was positive that for a brief moment, his scanner had registered a higher life form, but if it had been there, it was certainly not now.

Darren put another test strip of water into a machine, "How's it coming along, Lucas?"

Washington shrugged, "No life forms present, just like Benes said. What about you?"

"Water is good to go. But we'll never know until we try it..."

Darren cupped his hand into the pond, and scooped some water to his mouth.

"Boy that's good. Nothing like fresh water as opposed to the recycled crap we get up on Alpha."

Darren's commlock beeped, and he answered, "Yes Mr. Carter?"

"You're a minute late with check-in. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, it is, sorry. I was testing some more water. So far, so good. It's all clean."

"And Washington, what about you?"

"No life signs other than ours, Mr. Carter."

"Excellent. Don't be late for rendezvous, which is in thirty minutes. Carter out."

Darren looked over at Washington, "That Carter is a pompous ass."

"Oh come on, Darren, he's not that bad."

"Yes he is, Lucas... I'm a minute late. Geez, a whole minute."

The white beam which had been following Lucas hovered above him, catching Washington's eye.

"Hey, what's that above you?"

Darren looked up and shrugged, "Don't know. Scan it."

Washington put a scan near it, but it didn't register.

"Scanner says it isn't there."

"Yeah well, I can see it, so it's there...."

The beam of light jumped from its hover onto Darren's forehead, and within seconds, the man was screaming in agony. Washington stood, watching in horror as the light disappeared into Darren's head, and Darren appeared dead. He ran his scanner over the man, and his life signs were flat, but then they jumped to life, and Darren opened his eyes.

"Darren, thank God, man, I thought you bought the farm."

Darren stared at Washington as if he didn't know him.

"Hey man, come on, say something. You're gettin' scary...."

Darren smiled, "What would you like me to say, Lucas?"

"That you're all right? That Carter's arrogant, whatever...."

Darren looked around, touched the ground, breathed in the scent of a flower, and then stared at his own hand, as if he hadn't seen it before. Washington shook his head.

"You're a trip Darren, that's for sure."

Darren stood, and nodded to the beam of light hovering above Washington's head, and within minutes, neither Darren Sarcosian nor Lucas Washington still existed.


	7. Chapter Seven

"Eagle Four to Alpha, do you read me?"

Paul's face filled the screen, "Loud and clear Alan. What did you find?"

Carter grinned from ear to ear, "It's perfect, Paul. Absolutely perfect. Water, air, vegetation, and it's beautiful. We can settle there and have a real life."

Paul smiled, "All right, we'll finish running all the tests with the data upon your return, and then we'll make a decision."

"Make a decision? Paul! It's wonderful, you should go see it for yourself!"

Paul's smile faded slightly, "I'm sure it is, Alan, but you know as well as I do, we can't skirt the tests. We want to be certain."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Can I help it if I'm excited?"

"I guess not. We'll see you when you get back. Alpha out."

Fraser turned to Carter, "Think he suspects anything?"

"Why should he? I'm Alan Carter aren't I?"The two men smiled at each other, and headed for the landing pad on Moonbase Alpha.

* * *

"Why are the beings known as Carter and Fraser still occupying the Inferon bodies?"

"Calm down, Zentor, sometimes driving out the Inferon's indigenous life force takes time. Both Carter and Fraser are fighting us; not as successfully as Commander Koenig, but we have not taken full possession."

"That makes them dangerous then. They could breakthrough and warn the Alphans as Koenig has done."

"And they will make the same assumptions about Carter and Fraser as they have about Koenig."

"Maybe they will, and maybe they will not. I don't like it."

Peratha interrupted, "Zentor, Natarak is the expert on transfers, I think we need to give her some time."

"Time is exactly what we have very little of, Peratha. Very little."


	8. Chapter Eight

Natarak hovered above the bed that held Commander Koenig. The human known as Victor Bergman was sitting on a stool next to Koenig, his head resting on the edge of the bed, his arm lying protectively above the Commander's head on the pillow. These humans were an emotional sort, and not unlike the Bintossians from a millennia ago, when they were of carbon-based forms. Natarak could barely remember what it was like to be humanoid. To smell a flower, to feel the sun on her face, to make love to a man. It was too long in the past, and she could hardly remember. She wasn't even sure if she still desired those things. To exist as a mortal carbon-based life form, or to travel as a light across the universe, living forever. But then, she had to remind herself, that she was young when their species had ruined the air on their world, and had been forced to abandon their bodies, and live as beings of air and light. Peratha, Zentor and the rest had been significantly older, and had lived a long time as humanoids. She knew that Peratha and Zentor were still in love, even after thousands of years in their current form, unable to touch each other as living beings.

She looked down at Koenig; his brain was primitive. Natarak wondered if all of their minds would return to this once they were in their new forms. She moved slowly to touch his forehead, and immediately his temperature elevated, causing perspiration to break out across his skin. She could feel his heart racing in response to her touch, and knew the pain she would inflict upon him once she entered his body. Her transference to him, as it had been before, would only be temporary, for this man was meant for Zentor; but she needed to break his spirit, or there would be no hope for the old ones. Natarak would still exist for millennia in her current form, but Zentor, Peratha and the others would be dead soon enough.

Natarak plunged into Koenig's body, and he fought her with all his strength, which she noted, was considerably less than it had been before. She sent spears of pain across his head, pushing her will upon him.

"_You will submit and be still, Commander Koenig. Do you think I enjoy sending shock waves of pain through you? But agony is what you will feel if you do not capitulate. Submit, Commander. Submit to my will."_

"No......no....."

John's voice was weak, but it awakened Victor. Koenig was tossing in the bed, beads of sweat covering his face and chest. Bergman put a gentle hand on John's forehead, and it burned with fever.

"Shhh, John, take it easy."

Koenig whimpered in pain, and Victor felt sick to his stomach. There was nothing he could do but stand by and watch his friend suffer in agony, moving toward an uncertain end. Koenig reached out his hand, and Victor clasped it tightly in his. He sat carefully on the edge of the bed, wishing he could think of something to do.

"_What you feel now, Commander, is only the beginning. This pain will get worse, much worse, until you are reduced to a mindless husk, not even worth the chemical elements that comprise your body. Submit, Commander, and I will make it stop. You must submit to me...."_

Natarak pushed further into his mind, sending white blinding flashes of agony through him. And John Koenig wanted to die. He knew he couldn't submit to her, for that would mean the deaths of all Alphans; no, worse than death, indentured servitude to beings that would use their bodies until they expired. He fought against her as she pierced into his psyche with a hot light that burned his mind.

"_You are losing ground, Commander, and you're getting tired. Why don't you just give in to me, and I will bathe you in a cool beam that will soothe you into a long sleep? Submit, John Koenig; submit and the pain will be no more."_

Koenig's voice was a cry, "No.....no, I won't." His cries of suffering became so deep, they tore at Victor as surely as if he felt them himself, "I will not submit.... I will not!"

Bergman couldn't take it anymore; he looked over at the hypodermic loaded with a stimulant that would bring John out of sedation. He grabbed it, held it to Koenig's neck and pressed the release button. The light at the end of the tube indicated that it had ejected, and Victor set the hypodermic down, and sat again on the edge of the bed. Unaware of the war waging inside John Koenig's mind, Bergman gently shook the commander's shoulders.

"John, can you hear me? John!"

Koenig wailed in pain, grabbed Victor's arms tightly in his hands, and his eyes popped wide open with terror.

"Easy, John, take it easy."

Koenig fought to focus his eyes on the man he knew was sitting next to him. Victor gently pressed John back down onto the bed, reached over to the basin with water and a cloth in it, and placed the wet compress to Koenig's forehead. John's hands squeezed tighter around Bergman's arms, but the man's eyes were still unfocused, and unseeing.

Victor gripped Koenig's arms in return, "Shhh, it's all right."

His voice was soft and weak, "Victor?"

"I'm here."

Koenig closed his eyes momentarily, relieved that Victor was really with him, and not a figment of his wishful thinking, "Thank God it's really you...."

John flinched in pain, fighting once again as Natarak attempted to break his ability to communicate.

Victor took one of John's hands between the two of his and rubbed it, "Stay with me, John. Tell me what's happening to you."

After a minute or so, John's eyes opened again, the agony in them abundantly apparent. Victor could barely look into the tortured orbs of blue, but knew that he owed at least that to his old friend.

Koenig's voice was a whisper, "Victor... running out of time. Bintossians want our bodies. Want to transfer--" John screamed in pain as Natarak tried to quiet him, but he looked again at Victor, "transfer....."

"Into our bodies?"

Koenig nodded, "Must prevent anyone from going...."

Victor's eyes grew wide, "But the landing party has already gone and come back..."

John looked at him in panic, "Must stop them...."

In response to Koenig's cries, Helena stirred, fighting off the sedative that Victor had given her as she slept. Bergman looked at her, then back at Koenig. He stared into the wide blue eyes, not knowing if what he was hearing was truth from his most trusted friend, or the ravings of a man gone mad.

"Victor, please, not much time..... must believe....."

Natarak struck into Koenig's brain stem, sending a tidal wave of torment through him that shot him halfway off the bed. Victor caught John in his arms, and pulled him tightly against himself. He could hear Koenig's breathing becoming ragged, and the distress of his body weakening him. And John knew he couldn't hold out against Natarak. There was only one option left. He forced his eyes open, and air through his lungs and up into his vocal chords.

"Victor...."

Bergman gently eased Koenig back against the bed, "Shhh...."

John fought to get the words out, "End it Victor." Koenig saw the shock and sadness in his friend's eyes, and knew Bergman had understood. "Please, Victor. Do it."

Victor stared at his friend, "John, I can't."

"You have to. It's the only way." His breath was raspy as he pushed to continue, "Plan will be harder without me....and we'll be out of range soon.....then too late."

Victor held John's face between his hands, "And it will be too late for you as well."

"I can't take anymore, Victor. Can't hold out. Please, help me...."

Bergman's eyes filled with tears, "John, don't ask me to do this, I can't."

Tears streamed down Koenig's face, "I need you, Victor...."

"Do you know what you're asking of me, John?"

"If you love me, Victor, you'll do it. If I give in, they'll use me against Alpha." Another wave of pain pounded through Koenig and he screamed, grabbing Victor's hand tightly. "Oh God, no more.... please no more...."

Tears ran down Victor's face as he prepared the hypodermic. He sat on the edge of the bed, and looked into John's eyes.

Koenig nodded at him, and tried to smile, "Don't grieve, old friend...."

Victor placed the hypodermic to John's neck, "It's all I'll have left."

The old professor's hand began to shake, and he closed his eyes trying to summon the strength.

"Victor...please....hurry...."

Helena bolted awake in time to see Victor holding a hypodermic loaded with enough Dexetrol to kill an elephant, to John's neck.

"NO!"

Dr. Russell threw herself at Bergman, knocking the hypodermic out of his hand, sending it to the floor. Koenig's eyes closed in despair.

"_You cannot survive this test of wills much longer, Commander. Submit to me. Submit or watch Dr. Russell and Professor Bergman die."_

"No, please don't...."

"_Then do as I instruct....."_

Helena shoved Victor away from the bed, and turned to Koenig, running a soft hand down his face, "John? John, can you hear me?"

She turned on Victor, "What in the hell were you doing? You would have killed him, don't you know that?"

Bergman couldn't answer her. He couldn't speak. The grief welled up inside of him, and he couldn't look at her.

Helena's voice was full of anger, "Answer me, damn you!"

Victor stood silently by as tears rolled down his cheeks. John stirred, and Helena leaned over him.

"John, take it easy, honey, you're all right."

His voice was weak, but not filled with the distress he had displayed earlier, "Helena?"

"Yes, I'm here," she sat down next to him and caressed his face, "I'm with you, John."

"Victor.....he tried....."

"What, John?"

Koenig's voice was filled with fear, "He was going to kill me."

Victor looked up at John, the words of accusation striking him as surely as a blow. Helena looked at Bergman, disbelief in her eyes.

"Helena, it's not what you think..... it's not what he says.... They're controlling him."

"Who's controlling him?"

Victor realized that what he was about to say would not be accepted by Helena, and would further find him judged mentally incompetent. He looked away.

"Victor, I need an explanation from you."

His voice grew soft, "There isn't one, Helena." He looked into Koenig's eyes, and knew it wasn't John. "Not one I can tell you about anyway.....I'm sorry."

Helena pointed a stun gun at him, "I'm sorry too." Victor started to move, but she shot near him, "Don't make this any harder than it already is, Victor." Helena reached for the wall panel, and pressed a button, "Paul, this is Helena. I need security to the Med Lab immediately. Victor Bergman just tried to kill Commander Koenig."


	9. Chapter Nine

Confined to quarters, with a guard on the door; Paul had been apologetic, and assured him that it wouldn't be for long, that they just needed to sort it all out. But that had been several hours, and many worries ago. Victor paced the length of his living space once again, rubbing his hands tightly together. It still didn't completely add up. If he was to accept the information he garnered from John, then he would have to believe that there was a race of entities who could literally transfer the essence of their beings into a human host. But for what purpose? To what end? Assuming that he wasn't simply mad in any case, John had been unable to elaborate. Still, why would an organism clearly evolved far beyond humanoids want to transfer into a carbon-based body? The fear he had seen in Koenig's eyes haunted him. Victor had recognized that it wasn't John's fear for himself; he clearly believed that these "Bintossians" had a plan to take every life on Alpha, and that somehow the plan hinged on Koenig.

Victor had only questions, and no answers. He needed to think it through, to review the facts as he knew them. John had first presented with fever, rapid pulse and headaches, as though coming down with the flu. Then he had acted irrationally in Command Conference, then Main Mission. And in between each episode, he appeared perfectly lucid, albeit fatigued and in pain. He seemed to be fighting against his own mind: or, against something inside it! The events of the previous night flooded Victor's thoughts. With each piece of information that Koenig told to Victor, his pain level seemed to increase, as though something inside of him was trying to prevent him from communicating. John fought agony to get every word out, and finally, he had begged Victor to put an end to it. If Victor Bergman was sure of one thing, it was that John Koenig wouldn't resort to such a tactic unless he felt that the lives of the people under his command were at risk. And Victor knew when John betrayed him, that Koenig had lost his inner battle.

Bergman slowly closed his eyes and swallowed hard, for he knew that John had fought so hard against it, and in the end, because of Victor's own weakness, he had fallen prey to it. But Victor couldn't help to wonder, why then? Why not before when the pain was so violent John screamed in agony? What could be worse than threatening John with the future of Moonbase Alpha? And Victor's eyes popped open: _Helena_. John would have gone along if she was in immediate danger, in the hopes that another chance to breakaway would present itself. Bergman knew it was now up to him to figure out what the Bintossians were planning and throw a monkey wrench into it. John might be able to fight, but he might not. Victor considered what John meant by the plan "failing without him...." and then it struck him: access and authority. Those were the two things that gave the Commander the power to sabotage Alpha without being caught. And subversion it would have to be.....

The sound of his door releasing diverted his attention. He looked up and was surprised to see Helena Russell standing there, holding a tray with food and coffee.

"May I come in?"

"Of course."

Helena entered, closed the door behind her, and set the tray on the coffee table. There was an uncomfortable air in the room, and Victor felt as if he couldn't get enough oxygen in his lungs.

Helena pitched her voice low, "I thought you might be hungry."

Victor looked into her eyes, "That was kind of you."

She could barely meet his gaze, but she had seen what she had seen, and John confirmed the intention. The silence pressed on, and Helena wanted nothing more than to bolt from the room. Victor stood there, staring at her, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. Finally she moved closer to him, the words tumbling out of her.

"Victor, I'm sorry.....but surely you know how it looked; and then after what John said--"

"--Yes, John who had been confined to Med Lab due to some kind of mental lapse--"

"--That's not fair, Victor, and you know it."

He looked at the floor, "I suppose not." Then he looked up at her, "But then, neither was assuming my guilt, Helena."

Tears filled her eyes, and although none fell, her voice betrayed her emotion, "I didn't know what to think. I woke up, groggy from sedation, and I see you standing over John, holding a hypodermic with a snoutful of Dexetrol to his neck. What was I to think?" Helena searched his eyes with hers, looking for some kind of answer, "Please tell me it wasn't what it appeared to be."

Feeling as though his knees would buckle at any moment, Victor sat down on the couch. He looked down into his hands as he flexed them together.

"It was, and yet it was not."

Helena didn't try to hide the frustration in her voice, "What does that mean?"

Victor sighed, and looked up at her, his eyes showing the exhaustion he felt. He had to tell her the truth, all of it, even if it meant being locked up forever. If he would have any chance of helping John, and thwarting the Bintossian threat, he would need a strong ally: and none would be better than Helena. He nodded toward the chair next to the couch.

"You'd better sit down, Helena, and be prepared to listen with an open mind...."

Both skeptical and curious, Dr. Helena Russell obeyed and sat down in the chair next to the couch. She studied Victor carefully, noting his drawn face, the dark circles under his eyes, and the tiredness of his voice. But beneath all that, she could feel his sincerity toward her, and knew she at least owed him a fair listen: she just hoped that he hadn't gone over the edge....


	10. Chapter Ten

Helena stared at him as if he were mad, "You yourself brought into question John's rationality when he said there was an entity in his mind, and now you're telling me that you not only believe it's true, but that John asked you to kill him to escape this entity, and you were going to do it?" She stood up and paced the length of the coffee table, "How do I know _you_ haven't been taken over by one of these 'Bintossians'?"

Victor's voice was quiet and factual, "You don't."

She glared at him, "That's terrific...."

He stood and approached her gently, "Helena, I'm asking for your trust, as John asked for mine. He needs our help, and if what he told me is all true, if we don't help ourselves, none of us will survive." He looked at the floor, "If you had seen the agony he was in....."

Helena could hear Victor's emotion for John in his voice, and reached out gently, touching his arm.

"At least he's not in pain anymore." Victor looked up at her, so she continued, "He checked out fine this morning, no more pain, no fever, steady pulse."

To her dismay, instead of relief, Victor was agitated, "Did he go back on duty?"

"Well of course, he's fine."

Victor paced away from her, running his hands over his head, "Then we've got to move fast..."

She walked over to him, "Victor, what are you talking about?"

He turned to her, gripping her arms with his hands, "Don't you understand what this means? He's lost his fight against them completely. That isn't John Koenig anymore, it's an entity inside him that's going to make sure all of us go down to that planet one way or another. Helena, we have to stop him."

Helena searched his eyes, and knew that he believed what he was saying, but she reminded herself that it wasn't her rational Victor who was speaking; Victor would never hurt John, and last night she had seen him attempt murder with her own eyes. He wasn't sane; he couldn't be. Whatever sickness had plagued John, now had Victor in its throes. She broke from his grasp, and took his hands in hers.

"Victor, I want you to come with me to Med Lab."

He felt the despair of loss as he looked into her eyes.

"You don't believe me then....all will be lost."

Helena allowed his hands to slip from hers.

"I believe that you believe it. And I know that you thought you were helping him last night--"

Victor turned away, anger coloring his tone, "--I haven't lost my mental faculties, Helena. I'm as sane and rational as I was yesterday, as I was last night." He turned to face her, tears filling his eyes, "I would sooner give my own life than take John's, but he begged me to help him escape from the hell he was in." He swallowed hard, "He was in agony Helena, and still he fought it to tell me that by ending his life, Alpha stood a chance to survive." His voice grew quiet as he recalled the horror of the night before, "He pleaded with me, and I argued," he looked deeply into her eyes, "but in the end, I couldn't bear to see him in such torment any longer...."

Helena felt a lump in her throat and tried to swallow it down. She did not question that Victor loved John like a son; but was this impossible sounding tale the truth? Her own words from the day before, when it had been John in question, echoed in her mind mocking her judgment: she needed to consider the impossible, no matter how improbable. But, for her own peace of mind, she needed proof. Helena looked into the sorrowful eyes of Victor Bergman, and her hand lightly stroked the side of his face.

"Can you offer me any kind of proof that anything you've said is true?"

Victor searched within for an answer, and then an idea hit him.

"The landing party...."

"What about them?"

"If what John said is true, then none of them is who he appears to be--"

"--You're saying that these Bintossians have taken over Alan, and my med-tech Lucas Washington, along with the rest of the team?"

Victor shrugged slightly, "Yes. Look, you saw for yourself that John ordered Operation Exodus to the fourth planet before we were even in scanning range of it, insisting that it was 'the paradise we've been looking for' I believe were his words. When the survey Eagle returned, Alan Carter used a similar turn of phrase, insisting that it was perfect for us to settle there, even though the team had performed only preliminary tests, the data unanalyzed by computer." He took her hands in his, "If I'm right, Helena, the members of that landing party are not only no longer Alphans, they're going to work with John to push Alpha into evacuating to that planet as soon as possible."

"Are you talking about sabotage, Victor?"

He shook his head slowly, "Yes, I think it will come to that if we don't move quickly enough for the Bintossians." He smiled wanly at her, "And keep your eyes on John; he might seem normal for the moment, but I'm guessing that it won't last. Whatever's left of him will fight the mind control, if for no other reason than to tip us off that he isn't in command." He squeezed her hands, "We must help him, Helena.....if you had seen his eyes....."

She moved away from him, considering all of it. What Victor suggested made sense in and of its own context. However, for the moment, she would have to leave him confined, and see if any of what he said proved out; and then she would have to bring Paul Morrow into it. Helena turned to Victor once more.

"All right, I'll watch for anything suspicious from the members of the landing party, or John; but for now, Victor, I'm afraid you'll have to remain here."

He nodded, "I understand, a fair chance is all I ask."

She looked at the food tray, then back at him, "Eat something, Victor, you won't help Alpha or John if you don't."

She smiled slightly at him, and he returned it, although it never reached his eyes. Helena turned and walked out the door, sealing him behind it. Victor took up his pacing once more. He needed to speak to John, alone, but exactly how he would manage that, he yet did not know.


	11. Chapter Eleven

She needed to speak to John regarding Victor's condition, and headed toward his office; but as she neared the door, a nagging sensation in the back of her mind, warned her of danger. It was ridiculous, placed in her thoughts by suggestion, she knew, and yet she couldn't shake it off. What if Victor was right? What if John Koenig _had_ been invaded by an alien entity? If she went to him now, and she was wrong, it could spell disaster for everyone on Alpha. She needed time to think this through, and perhaps do as Victor had asked; she could for the moment, be a silent observer. She pointed her commlock at the back door to John's office, and pressed a button, a moment later it opened.

Helena had to cover her reaction when John, Alan, and the rest of the members of the landing party looked up at her in surprise. Koenig was the first to recover, although the irritation was evident in his tone.

"Yes Helena, what is it?"

"I'm sorry, John, I didn't mean to interrupt..."

"Yes, well, now that you have, what do you need?"

The frost in his tone sent chills up her spine.

"I just wanted to speak with you a moment about Victor."

"Is he all right?"

"Physically, yes."

Koenig looked around the table, and then back at Russell, his timbre softening considerably, "Give me about five more minutes, okay?"

She smiled at him, "Okay. I'll come back."

Helena barely made it out the door before she felt all the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. She didn't know what to think; John, Alan and the rest of the landing party--exactly what Victor had said. Still, they could simply be reporting to him regarding their findings. But why would that be happening in a closed-door meeting? And why wouldn't John have called other personnel such as herself, Paul and Sandra? It didn't make sense, yet she knew she couldn't base any kind of decision upon one meeting; it could be a coincidence. Helena moved down the hall a ways and watched from around a corner. About five minutes later, Alan and the landing party came out of the office, and all of them walked down the corridor together, not saying a word. She waited until they were clear from sight, then she went back to John's office. She pointed her commlock at the door, and pressed a button, but the door didn't open. She tried it again, to no avail. She rang the door chime, and a moment later, the door slid open.

She walked in to find Koenig at his desk, looking through files. She walked over to the desk, and waited for him to say something to her, but he didn't.

Helena kept her voice light, "I think my commlock's malfunctioning...."

He didn't look up, "What's wrong with it?"

"It wouldn't open your door."

He looked at her and smiled, "Yes, I thought it best to restrict everyone's access to this room and my quarters for the time being.

John looked back down at the files, as if the matter were now closed. She knew he had come to that conclusion right after she walked in on the meeting he was having with the landing party. After pushing some of the shock she felt aside, her anger burned through.

"Why did you restrict _my_ access?"

Koenig frowned at her, as if he didn't understand the problem, "I restricted everyone's..."

"Since when am _I_ everyone?"

Realizing his insensitivity, he smiled sweetly at her, "Helena, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it as some kind of slight. Guess I'm just a little jumpy after last night...."

Dr. Russell smiled back, but felt unnerved by him. There was something wrong about the way he was looking at her, and she found she was in no way moved by the smile that usually melted her.

All she said was, "That's understandable."

He looked back down at his files, assuming the subject was now closed, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Victor."

John's brow creased, "A very upsetting situation. I never would have suspected him of such a thing."

"Nor would I....at least not without a good reason."

He looked at her sharply, "You can think of a good reason for attempted murder?"

"Murder, no....... mercy, maybe. Sacrificing one life to save more than 300....it would be difficult to make that choice."

Koenig looked away, "How is he now?"

"Physically fine, I'm not so sure about mentally."

The blue eyes turned back to her, "Tell me."

"You know he tends to think of you quite fondly...."

There was impatience in his voice, "Yes?"

"He must have had some kind of mental lapse. That's the only possible answer."

He smiled at her, "I'm sure you're right. Well at least he didn't hurt anyone, and now with him safely confined, we can concentrate on Operation Exodus."

Helena's stomach flew into her throat: John Koenig would not show such a lack of concern for Victor's welfare, and once again, before computer had reached any kind of conclusion, he was talking about sending all Alphans to the fourth planet. But what if this was all some kind of bizarre misunderstanding? She needed more empirical evidence before she could go to Paul. And there was one way to be sure. Helena smiled at him, and pulled the files out of his hands, pushing him back into his chair. She sat in his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Helena....."

She pulled his face toward hers and kissed him; he not only didn't respond, he pulled away from her.

"Helena.... what are you doing?"

"I'd think that was fairly obvious...."

"Here, now?"

"You seem tense, I thought it might help you relax."

She watched him as he tried not to recoil from her touch. Helena pressed her body into him, waiting for his typical response, but instead, there was nothing. She kissed him again, and he still seemed tentative.

"John, what's the matter?"

He looked right through her, as though calculating the odds on something, then he stared into her eyes, and she felt his hands pull her closer. He brought her head down to him, and kissed her, hard. As he began to make love to her, Helena Russell knew for certain that the man holding her was not John Koenig.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Alan Carter looked down the hallway, establishing that there was no one around. He nodded to Lucas, who with Darren, quickly entered the water recycling area, then he walked further down the hallway with Sarah, Fraser and Lance in tow. Alan indicated the door reading "Agriculture Stores" and Sarah and Lance entered it. Fraser and Carter continued moving through corridors until they saw the main computer room. Together, Carter and Fraser entered the room, closing the door behind them.

* * *

Natarak laughed as she recalled the mortified look on Helena Russell's face as she left Koenig's office. The human had bought herself far more than she had bargained, and in the end, the game had become more rough than Russell had anticipated. She felt the strong, angry emotion from Koenig's essence, and her laughter rolled through his mind.

"_Now, Commander, you really must learn to let go. It was just a game. I'm sure the way I used your mortal body didn't hurt her....too much."_

The laughter echoed again through his consciousness, and John Koenig felt lost. He had no control over his mind, body, what he said, what he did.... there was only a small corner in which Natarak allowed him to exist, tormenting him with her behavior. The threat of harm to Helena was the only reason he had remained dormant; but at this point, he doubted that he would be able to have any affect on her in any case. He was weak and tired, and knew he would be unable to stand any more of the agony that was hers to dispense.

The beep of a communication grabbed his attention. Natarak punched a button on the console, and Victor Bergman's face filled the screen.

Koenig's voice was cautious, "Yes professor?"

"John, I feel I owe you an explanation regarding last night. And an apology. I can't begin to tell you how awful I feel; I didn't know what I was doing. Can you come to my quarters for a short time?"

Through Koenig's eyes, Natarak studied the professor; he was up to something, she knew.

Koenig smiled at Bergman, "Yes, we should clear the air. I'll come by in about ten minutes or so."

"Thank you, John."

The screen went blank, and Natarak looked within.

"_Tell me what he's up to, Koenig. Tell me, and I'll consider ending his life quickly instead of dreadfully slowly. You know, I had forgotten how much fun it was to feel all of these sensations."_

John remained silent, and his essence felt searing pain. He wondered if he'd be able to hold out....

* * *

Helena ran as fast as she could to her quarters, tears rushing down her face. She had never felt such primitive emotions from John; his touch had been almost barbaric, as if he was from another time, another place. The doors to her quarters slid open and closed quickly, and Helena could feel her heart pounding against her chest as she leaned against the solid steel of the bulkhead. It wasn't John. My God, was he dead? Or worse, what if he was somehow locked inside of himself, able to witness everything that was said or done, but unable to stop any of it! Helena closed her eyes in terror. And the sorrow was too much for her. Sobs of hurt, pity, and fear crashed through her in giant waves of grief, and she sank to the floor. Victor was right; he was right, and she didn't know how she could help John, or if she could help him at all. He might well be dead; dead or held prisoner within his own psyche, at the whim of some being who would destroy everything John held dear, by his own hand.

And in that moment, Helena understood what had pushed Victor Bergman to the brink of ending John's life. It had been out of compassion and love. She wondered if she too loved John Koenig enough to be willing to set him free, knowing that she would have to continue on without him; she prayed that she would not have to make such a choice.

* * *

Victor sealed the letters in two envelopes and scribbled names on them. He turned to the young woman standing across the table from him.

"Sandra, I'd appreciate it if you'd deliver these for me."

Benes looked at the envelopes before tucking them into her belt, "Of course, Professor, it's not a problem." She looked at him closer, concern filling her eyes, "Is there anything else, you seem.... unsettled."

He smiled at her, "No Sandra, thank you. I'm just antsy from being cooped up in here, that's all."

"I'm sure it won't be forever."

He shrugged, "One hopes not, my dear."

The door slid opened, and Koenig stood in the doorway. He looked at Benes.

"Sandra?"

"Excuse me, Commander, I just dropped by to see if the Professor needed anything. I'm on my way back to Main Mission now."

"Very well."

The young officer walked past Koenig and the door slid closed behind her. John smiled benevolently at the older man before him. Victor simply stared at him.

"Well?"

Bergman studied Koenig a moment longer before speaking, then finally, he smiled.

"I wondered whether or not you'd actually show."

"Really."

"Yes. You see, on the one hand, I figured your curiosity would get the best of you, but on the other, I thought your fear might keep you away."

"My fear? Of you?"

"Certainly."

Victor smiled at Koenig, and the latter found the smugness annoying.

"Why should I be afraid of you? Because you tried to kill me last night, while I lay unconscious?"

Victor laughed, "Touché! But you and I both know that I was carrying out the request of my closest friend, and you are most definitely not John Koenig." Victor moved over to sit on the couch, keeping his demeanor relaxed, "I would like very much though, to know who you really are."

Koenig frowned, although there was still a slight smile on his lips, "Your mind is seriously touched, Victor, for I am Commander Koenig. You can run any test you think of and it will tell you that I have his DNA, his brain wave patterns, every scar, cap and fault."

Bergman laughed, "Oh, I know that, but inside, that which makes John Koenig special, unique, that is now different. But then, that's not something one can measure, is it? Except to know a man's behavior, his likes, dislikes; to know his _mind_ - a close friend can spot the most infinitesimal change, and begin to question why. It's only a matter of time that you will be found out. John's in there somewhere, I know that he is; and he will find a way to trip you up. Perhaps he already has made you say or do something that is out of character. What do you think, have you been careful enough?"

Victor could see the anger working on the man's face. He needed only to provoke him a tiny bit further, and this being would unleash its power on him full force. Victor knew his death would serve to unmask this impostor, and he hoped it would give John the chance he needed to exert his will and overcome it. Bergman stood, and walked closer to Koenig, crossing his arms in front of his chest, as though taking stock of the man in front of him.

"Hmmm.....how long has it been since you've taken a human form? A hundred years? A thousand? Has it been long enough that the basic needs of carbon-based life takes you by surprise? Eating, sleeping, interaction with other people...sex? Are you able to control your primitive instinct, or is the baser nature of man overriding your intellect?"

Koenig hissed at him, "You have no idea what wrath you will bring down upon yourself, Professor Bergman."

Victor laughed, further infuriating the being, "Will you crawl into my mind now? Is that all you have in your bag of tricks? Is it all smoke and mirrors, or do you feel anything that is human?" He could see it wouldn't take much more, he leaned closer, smirking, "I'll bet you can't feel anything.... any normal man would have taken my head off by now...."

"And so I shall, Professor, and so I shall...."

The man who looked like Koenig started toward Victor, his intent clear. As Bergman moved back, John's face contorted as though in tremendous pain.

His voice was strained, but it was definitely John Koenig, "V-vic-tor.....get out! Run!"

Koenig shook his head clear, and threw himself at the smaller man, knocking Bergman to the floor. He picked the older man up, and threw him into the wall, Victor's head connecting painfully against the bulkhead. The large commander grabbed Bergman again, and launched blow after blow to his face and midsection. Victor tried to defend himself, but he was no match for Koenig's stature, age and physical condition. His last thought was of John, and how he wished this would set him free.....


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Helena's eyes grew wide in the fear of disbelief as she read the note that Sandra had dropped off not five minutes earlier. Feeling panic swell within, she hit a button on her console and spoke quickly.

"Bob.....assemble a medical team and meet me at Victor Bergman's quarters, stat...."

"Right away, Helena."

Clutching the note in one hand, Russell grabbed her commlock with the other, and exited her quarters quickly, speaking into the device as she walked hastily down the corridor.

"Dr. Russell to security team B!"

"Tom Groves from security here, doctor....team B was dismissed about ten minutes ago."

"Dismissed by whom?"

The young man seemed confused, "Commander Koenig."

Helena didn't bother answer, she broke into a run for Bergman's private quarters, terrified of what she would find.

She slowed as she neared Victor's quarters, the door open, Alan Carter standing in the hallway with Koenig, speaking softly. John turned as he felt her approach.

"Helena, thank God you're here."

Although she felt terrified by his very presence, she shoved the note in her hand into a pocket of her pants, and tried to keep her face neutral, "What happened?"

"Victor attacked me, he's in there. I had to defend myself, Helena...."

Alarm coloring her features, Dr. Russell ran into the room to find Victor lying in a bloody heap on the floor. She gently rolled him over, and felt a wave of nausea as she took in the bruises and contusions of his face. She felt a presence and looked up to see Koenig in the doorway, staring at her.

"Well?"

"It's bad." She made a preliminary exam of Bergman as she continued, "Did you notify medical?"

"Yes, but the nurse said you already called.....how did you know we needed you, Helena?"

She ignored the query and countered with her own, "Where's the weapon?"

Koenig didn't seem prepared for the question.

"What?"

"You said you had to defend yourself, where's his weapon?"

He repeated the words, dumbfounded, "His weapon...."

She looked up at him, her eyes on fire, "Yes, you were defending yourself against a man twenty years your senior, and much smaller in weight and height; I assume he must have had a weapon for you to have resorted to this kind of force."

"Helena, you sound like you're accusing me of something...."

Realizing the danger she was in, Helena looked at him, softening, "I'm sorry, John.....I'm just upset about Victor."

He smiled at her, "I understand. Me too."

Matthias and the medical team arrived, interrupting them.

"Hurry Bob......he's in bad shape."

Matthias moved in quickly, and together with Dr. Russell, they did their best to stabilize Bergman's condition. As they were transporting Victor out, Paul Morrow arrived on the scene, a note similar to Helena's in his hand. He looked at Victor's battered body on the gurney, then at Dr. Russell, and finally at Koenig. He nonchalantly slipped the note into the back pocket of his pants.

"Commander, are you.....all right."

"Yes. Victor asked to speak with me privately, and I agreed. Unfortunately, he attacked me, and I had to defend myself."

Morrow looked at Russell, "What's his condition?"

"Grave."

Paul looked meaningfully at Helena, "I'll come by in awhile to see how he's doing."

She nodded slightly, "Yes, do that, Paul."

With one final look at Koenig, Helena quickly exited, heading toward the Med Lab. Paul looked into the room, the blood stains on the carpet causing him to swallow hard. He looked back at the commander.

"What happened in here?"

"I told you, Victor attacked me, I defended myself."

"Pardon me, sir, but, it looks like it was a fight to the death...."

A strange look came over Koenig's face, "Yes, I guess you could call it that."

Paul took the opportunity to quickly examine the room, noting the overturned furniture, broken dishes, and blood stains. There was no sign of anything except a mismatched fight. He felt a pall falling over him as he stood there, and he was barely able to suppress a shudder. Morrow looked once more up at Koenig, forcing his face to remain neutral.

"Do you have any orders, Commander?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do, Paul. I'd like to commence Operation Exodus immediately. It's time we start living like human beings again."

Paul frowned at the man's turn of phrase, but pressed on, "Kano isn't quite finished with his analysis of computer's recommendations, Commander...."

Koenig clapped Paul on the shoulder, "I'm sure by the time he has them, it will confirm what we already know from the landing party." He looked into Morrow's eyes, "Commence Operation Exodus."

"And Professor Bergman, sir?"

"What about him?"

Paul couldn't keep the surprise from his tone, "He'll need care, Commander, and I doubt he'll be able to be transported for awhile."

"We'll let Dr. Russell worry about that, okay, Paul?"

Morrow frowned, but nodded, and then noticed Carter milling several yards away from the door. He looked over at the man, and decided to further test the information he had read in the note.

"Coming Alan?"

Carter looked first to Koenig, and then at Morrow, "I'll be along, Paul, I have something to discuss with the Commander first."

"Right then...."

Paul headed away as quickly as he could, but instead of going toward Main Mission, he went straight to the Med Lab, and Dr. Russell.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Morrow stood a few feet away from Victor Bergman's unconscious form.

"How is he?"

Helena turned from the vital sign monitors to look at Paul.

"About as well as can be expected, considering the beating he took."

Paul looked around the lab, at the other personnel, and nodded his head toward Russell's office. Silently, she followed him. They entered the room, and Helena closed the door. Paul took the note from his back pocket, holding it out in front of him.

"I know Victor sent you one; did you read it?"

Helena nodded, "Yes, that's how I knew he was in trouble."

Morrow shook his head, "He should have come to me."

"Paul, how could he? We had him confined to his quarters, as if he was some kind of raving madman. Neither of us gave him the benefit of the doubt, and he obviously thought he needed to demonstrate the truth to us in order to save Alpha."

His voice was soft, "I suppose there's no way we could have known."

"No, not with certaintly. But we do now."

"Yes, that we do. The question is, what do we do about it?"

"Where do we stand with Operation Exodus?"

"The Commander--alien, whatever he is--ordered me to commence with Operation Exodus immediately."

Helena frowned, "Is there any way to stall?"

Paul pursed his lips in thought for a moment, "Actually, there might be, but we'll need some help."

Russell's brow furrowed, "The more people we involve in this, the more dangerous it becomes, and the greater the chance that he'll figure it out."

"Yes, I know. But I don't see how the two of us can stop him by ourselves; according to Victor's note, he's got Alan and the landing party working with him. And from what I've observed, it's true."

"Yes, I interrupted the seven of them during a private meeting; God only knows what they were plotting."

Paul paced in front of Helena's desk, "Did you discuss any of this with Victor before the Commander attacked him?"

"Some......he thinks that the Bintossians are beings that exist only in energy. Entities that are looking for corporeal forms to inhabit."

"And Alpha can certainly provide that....."

"Yes, but apparently, they have to get us down to Bintoss first."

Paul frowned, "But the Commander hasn't been on the planet."

"That's true.......maybe one, or some of them can transfer at a distance. I don't know, Victor and I didn't get that far, because I was still so unsure of him."

"We need Victor on this."

"Paul, I don't think we can count on that."

Morrow's eyes grew sad, "It's that bad?"

"I'm afraid so."

He drew in a long breath of air, "Is there any way that you can bring him to for a few minutes? Just long enough for us to talk to him....."

Helena shook her head, "It's too dangerous right now, Paul. It could kill him."

"Then we'll have to bring in Sandra and Kano, we'll need both computer and communications in order to stall, even for a little while."

"I suppose that's true."

"All right.....I'll speak to the two of them quietly, and once I know whether or not they're on board, we'll move forward with some kind of plan to stall the evacuation of Alpha."

She nodded, "I'll be down here....I don't want to leave Victor."

She watched Paul as he walked out of the Med Lab, and then she walked out of her office, and looked over at the still figure on the bed. She felt heavyhearted by the fact that Victor might not make it. But then, the rest of them might not either.

* * *

The air in Main Mission was tense as Operation Exodus proceeded. Several of the screens showed different areas of the evacuation preparation in progress. Natarak watched through tired blue eyes as the humans packed, tested, and moved equipment toward the Eagle pads. She could sense the uneasiness emanating from several of the command crew, and wondered why humans lived in a constant state of worry. That thought brought her to her own concerns; but she had been assured by Thontal, who occupied Alan Carter's form, that all elements of the backup plan were in place, in the event that they had to force an evacuation of Alpha. It would be far easier if these humans would just get into their puny ships and fly down to Bintoss, but she knew better than to rely on it. She felt tired. Maintaining a carbon-based form was a lot more work than she remembered. One had to think about eating, sleeping, taking exercise, relaxing....... Natarak was not sure that she wanted to make a permanent transfer; she liked living with the freedom her energy form allowed her. Although, given the fact that she had to share her current body with the human who originated it, she was certain that the experience had been clouded and overly difficult. She smiled; she could always try it, and if she didn't like it, she could simply transfer back out. One human would die; what was one human when you had so many?

The essence from within screamed out in passionate anger at her, and for a moment, she lost control of her form. Sandra Benes turned to see the Commander holding his head in pain. Natarak lashed out at the entity inside, for having caught her off guard.

"Commander? Are you all right?"

For an instant, it almost appeared that Koenig might collapse, but then he recovered.

"Yes, Sandra, I'm fine. Just a little headache that I can't seem to shake today. Nothing to worry about."

He smiled at her, and she turned back to her console. Her eyes shifted almost imperceptibly to Paul's, ending the look with a slight nod. Morrow glanced over at David Kano, who also nodded ever so remotely. A moment later, an alarm began to sound throughout Main Mission. Kano turned to face Koenig.

"Commander, computer reports a problem with the navigational systems of the Eagles."

Koenig stalked over to Kano's station, and glared at the man, "What kind of problem?"

Kano looked him directly in the eye, and continued in an even tone, "The onboard systems are malfunctioning, Commander, some kind of glitch between computer, navigation, and communications. It would be impossible to fly the Eagles using computer's navigation, and a manual approach to the fourth planet is out of the question due to the high velocity winds just inside the atmosphere. Even the best pilots would be unable to calculate the adjustments needed quickly enough before crashing."

Koenig could barely maintain a façade of rationality, "How could you let this happen?"

"Sir?"

"You're the computer expert, Kano, how could you let this happen?"

"Well, I--"

"--Nevermind! How long until the problem can be fixed?"

Kano shrugged, "I estimate at least six hours until I can isolate what caused the glitch in the first place, and then probably another six hours until Sandra and I can have it back up and running."

Pacing, Koenig barked at the man, "Twelve hours? You're telling me we have to postpone for _twelve_ _hours_?"

Kano's voice remained calm and quiet, "Yes sir. At least that's my best estimate."

Koenig turned on Benes, "And you.....what can you add?"

Benes looked evenly at the Commander, "There is a problem with the interface between the navigation and communication systems; computer has been unable to make its own adjustments. Kano and I will have to work on this together."

Seeing that Koenig was losing patience, Paul jumped in, "Commander, that's actually helpful in a backhanded sort of way." The angry glare of the Commander turned toward him, and Paul rushed to continue, "We could use the extra time to double check the data collected from the planet, and also to recheck our inventory and make sure that we are taking everything that we need."

Realizing that any other response would be seen as questionable, all Koenig said was, "Fine. Keep me apprised."

He quickly left Main Mission, and Paul let out the air he'd been holding in his lungs. He smiled over at Kano, who nodded and returned his attention to computer. Morrow walked over to Sandra's station, and leaned in conspiratorially.

"We've got twelve hours, you know what to do...."

Sandra smiled and nodded. Paul left Main Mission, heading for the Med Lab, and an update with Dr. Russell. He hoped her news would be as promising as his.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Carter's face looked skeptical, "I don't like it. The timing is all wrong."

Koenig turned to Lucas Washington, "How much time before the alternate plan is functional?"

The man shrugged, "Another three hours, and we'll be ready."

Fraser piped up, "You think they've caught on?"

Koenig took in a large breath of air, "Quite possible. One thing's for sure, Paul Morrow and Helena Russell were acting suspicious earlier. At the very least, the timing of this navigational problem is too much for a coincidence."

"Well, it hardly matters what they think they can do with some kind of delay. In three hours, it won't matter what excuses they come up with," Sarcosian added.

"In three hours, they'll be running for anything that will get them off Alpha and down to the planet," Carter said.

Koenig's voice was stern, "Just make sure that the damage is permanent. If they can fix it, they might continue to stall."

Carter looked at Koenig, "Perhaps we should make sure that Dr. Russell and Paul Morrow can't cause any more trouble as well."

Koenig smiled, "What'd you have in mind?"

* * *

She noticed Paul Morrow standing at the door to the Med Lab. Silently, he nodded toward her office, and she followed him, closing the door behind them.

"Well?"

"No problems. Sandra and Kano are with us. We've got a twelve hour window, during which San and David will be working on our next 'delay.' But in the meantime, we have to learn more about these Bintossians, or we won't have a chance at helping the Commander and the landing party." He looked out toward the solitary figure on life support. "What is Victor's condition?"

Helena shook her head, "No change. He hasn't shown any sign of coming out of the coma he's in, and inducing him out is far too risky."

Morrow looked into her eyes, "We need him, Helena. He knows more than either of us about the Bintossians, maybe he can think of a way to eradicate them."

"How do we know that won't kill the people they've inhabited?"

"We don't. But Helena.....without trying, they're dead to us anyway." He pitched his voice softer, "For all we know, they're dead already. And we both know that none of them would want to continue on in their current state."

Russell looked away, the truth of his words more harsh a reality than she wanted to face.

He looked into her eyes, "You've got to try and wake the Professor."

Dr. Russell understood what was at stake, and still she hesitated.

"Helena, I know you're close to Victor, but we don't have a choice."

She closed her eyes; but even in darkness she could see the truth. Wordlessly, she walked out of the room, Morrow following close behind. Russell picked up a hypo, loaded it with a stimulant, and gently pressed it to Bergman's neck. There was no reaction.

Paul looked at her, "Do it again."

"Paul--"

"--Helena, I'm sorry, but we have very few options, and we need to know what he knows."

Helena reloaded the hypo, and slowly put it to his neck, releasing more stimulant into him. After a few moments, his eyes fluttered open, and turned wide with fear. Helena brushed a soft hand against his cheek.

"Stay calm, Victor, you're okay."

His dark grey eyes finally focused on her, but he was too weak to muster speech.

Paul leaned in, "I know you're in pain, Professor, but we need your help. We need to know if there is there some way to drive out the Bintossians from their Alphan hosts...."

It took tremendous effort, but Victor shook his head.

Helena sat on the edge of the bed, "Think, Victor. There must be something...."

It was a strain, but Bergman managed a slight nod. "Beings of light..... Control using refraction and reflection... Control until....."

"Until they kill their host and permanently take over?" Bergman nodded, so Morrow continued, "But until that transfer is complete, shouldn't we be able to reverse it somehow? Light can be blocked, why not these entities?"

Bergman's voice was a whisper on gravel, "Not without...."

Helena frowned, realizing he didn't have the strength to continue.

Paul's voice finished the thought, "Not without killing them?"

Helena took Victor's hand in hers, "Come on, Victor, there has to be a way. John needs us; he needs you."

The tired grey eyes grew sad, and a moment later, he tried to speak once more.

"Polarizing filter...."

Paul frowned, "Polarizing filter? Professor, what do you mean?"

Bergman swallowed hard, and Helena felt a pang of guilt realizing what the effort was costing him.

"Electromagnetic wave....."

Paul's eyes lit up, "We set up a polarizing filter that blocks the electromagnetic light wave...." Victor nodded, but Morrow's brow furrowed again, "Professor, I need more."

Bergman grimaced in pain, and Helena gently rubbed his chest, trying to comfort him. She turned to Morrow.

"Paul, he can't take much more."

"And we have no choice, Helena." He looked again at Victor, "Professor?"

"Hydrocarbon.....molecules...... absorb light."

Helena put it together, "Hydrocarbon molecules.... you mean solid hydrocarbon, like polymer?"

Victor nodded, his voice showing strain, "Linear polyethylene with molecular weight of three to six million...."

"So if we can find a way to encase them in polyethylene, then the Bintossians will have no way to project their mind control?"

Victor nodded, "Right." He closed his eyes in pain, but then opened them to whisper once more. "Must align either horizontal or vertical.... only work if transfer not complete...."

Helena frowned, "What happens if the transfer is complete?"

"Host will die."

His eyes pulled tight with pain, and Helena stroked a soothing hand across his forehead. "You rest now, Victor."

Bergman's voice was so low, only Russell could hear him, "Helena....the note...."

She leaned in, "The one for John?" Victor nodded, and she continued, "I have it."

"Tell him I'm......sorry."

Dr. Russell could feel the tears filling her eyes, but she smiled down at Bergman. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Victor."

Bergman shook his head slightly, "I'm breaking a promise I made a long time ago."

His eyes closed in exhaustion, and Helena gently put the hand down that she had been holding.

Paul's voice was filled with concern, "Will he make it?"

She shook her head, the tears from her eyes falling, "I doubt it. I just hope we get John back in time for him to say good-bye."

Paul pulled his lips together tightly, and didn't trust himself to say a thing.

* * *

Kano and Morrow quickly assembled the thick material paneling they had hastily created in the tech lab, covering the walls, ceiling and floor of the small chamber. Kano was sweating from the effort, and from the heat being generated in such a small space.

"It's so bloody hot in here! Why must we do this in an airlock chamber?"

Morrow stopped what he was doing for a moment. "Because if we fail, Kano, we can blow out the airlock door."

David turned quickly to look at Paul, "But, that would kill--"

"--the Commander, Alan and the rest of the landing party, yes."

Kano shook his head as he turned back to his work. "I don't like this Paul, and neither does computer. She's calculated our odds very unfavorably."

Before Paul could comment, there was a power surge, followed by the klaxon of the Red Alert sounding throughout the mooonbase. Sandra's voice broke in, echoing over the communications system.

"Life Support systems failure. All nonessential systems are to shutdown immediately. Repeat, life support systems failure. All nonessential systems are to shutdown immediately. We are on emergency backup power. Commander Koenig and Controller Morrow to Main Mission, please."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Morrow was already at his post when Koenig entered Main Mission.

"Report," the Commander snapped.

"Life Support systems have failed, Commander. We have no more than three hours of breathable air. Lighting and heating are at a minimum."

"Kano?"

David turned to face Koenig. "Computer has analyzed the system and reports a failure in the carbon dioxide converter."

"Okay, so fix it."

The computer tech stared hard at Koenig. "I'm not sure that we can, Commander."

All commotion in Main Mission ceased.

"What do you mean it can't be fixed? We have technicians, parts, let's get busy."

Kano stepped closer, "Sir, the failure has been caused by an implosion." When the Commander didn't respond, Kano continued, "if the converter just needed maintenance, we could repair it, but there is nothing left of the original converter. It was completely blown apart. We'd have to build a new one, and that will take a lot longer than three hours."

Koenig fought to keep any semblance of a smile from turning his lips. "Well then," he turned to Morrow, "we'd better step up Operation Exodus, whether or not our navigational systems are functioning. At least there's breathable air down on Bintoss."

The commander did not wait for a reply, he walked up the steps to his office and closed the sliding doors behind him. Morrow and Sandra moved over to where Kano was standing, and spoke in hushed tones.

"Kano?"

"Computer can't confirm it, Paul, but sabotage is the most likely answer. Steel parts don't just blowup like that without a fire or some outside help."

"The Commander didn't even ask how it could have happened," Sandra added.

Paul's voice held a tinge of bitterness, "No, he didn't. Nor did he speculate on whether or not we had anyone on Alpha who might be able to concoct an interim converter."

"The only one with that kind of seat-of-his-pants thinking is Professor Bergman," Kano mused.

Sandra's voice belied her sadness, "And the Commander knows he can't help us."

"That," Paul said sternly, "is _not_ Commander Koenig. My God, we can't go down to that planet, it would bring death to everyone on Alpha."

"And if we stay here," Sandra reminded, "we'll be dead in three hours. I'd rather take my chances on the planet, Paul. At least there we _might_ have a fighting chance."

Morrow looked at Kano, who shrugged his shoulders. "Certain death or probable death. I don't like the odds either way, Paul."

"Well, if we do have to evacuate to Bintoss, then we're going to do it on our own terms. Kano, you and Sandra make the preparations to get the Commander and the landing party into the airlock we prepared. I'll meet you there in thirty minutes."

Morrow turned to leave, but Sandra's voice stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

"To see if Professor Bergman can help us one more time."

Paul left Main Mission and Kano turned to Sandra.

"Come on, we've got a charade to stage...."

* * *

Carter paced the length of Koenig's desk once more.

"Natarak..... is Zentor planning on taking Koenig's body?"

"Yes. That is why I have not eradicated him, although that would have made my job a thousand times easier. Why?"

Thontal shrugged, "I don't know, wondering... I sort of like this body, and wouldn't mind keeping it."

"I believe that is Zentor's intention. Did he tell you not to rid yourself of the human called Alan Carter?"

"No. I guess I wanted to be sure before I killed him."

"You and Gipara. She has still not destroyed the human Fraser." Natarak eyed him closely. "Are you sure you are not hesitating because you are afraid?"

The man grew indignant, "I am not afraid. Wasn't I the one to suggest eliminating Morrow and Russell?"

Natarak smiled with Koenig's mouth, "Yes, but you didn't offer to do it. Our people have not killed in thousands of years, Thontal, it would not come as a shock if it was a difficult task for some."

He couldn't keep the disapproval from his tone, "Yes, and as natural as thinking to others."

"You make it sound as though I'm killing a Bintossian. These humans are barely above an amoeba on the developmental scale of evolution, Thontal, hardly worth upsetting yourself over. Frankly, I'm not even sure I'm going to take this form when all is said and done. I like traveling as light."

Thontal looked at her through Carter's eyes, "You are still young, Natarak. When we became beings of light, we did not consider what it would be when we grew old. We did not think about the consequences for the future of our race--"

"--Oh yes, woe are we who cannot reproduce ourselves. I just relived the experience of fortification, Thontal, and I'm telling you it's a terrible means to an end."

"You never could see beyond your own pleasures, Natarak. I'm talking about keeping our race from extinction. By taking these forms, we will live again. We can breathe, eat, love, feel happy or sad, feel the warmth of the sun, the touch of a hand, and have families. We can regenerate Bintoss and once more build a society devoted to art, beauty and the study of the universe."

"That is why we abandoned these humanoid forms in the first place, or have you forgotten?"

"We made a mistake, Natarak, we must now rectify it."

"Then why hesitate to kill the one called Carter?"

Thontal looked away. "I have read all his thoughts and touched his memories. He is not evil or unkind.....quite the opposite."

Natarak rolled her eyes, "Thontal, you must choose. Either take Carter's life, or die in your crystal on Bintoss. Frankly, I don't care which, as long as you do what is required to get the Alphans off of this rock."

"I will do what is required."

"Fine. Then get to the Eagle pads and make sure preparations are being made for the evacuation."

Thontal left the office, and Natarak took in a large mouthful of air. The entity within was still gnawing at her in any way he could find, and she could feel her patience with him growing thin. It would be so easy to push him out permanently. But then, she would have to answer to Zentor. It would only be a few more hours, then she could flee the body of John Koenig, and he would become Zentor's problem.

* * *

"You've got to try again, Helena."

Her nostrils flared with anger. "I can't, Paul. It will kill him."

"And we'll all be dead within a few hours if you don't."

"You aren't even sure he can help you."

"Are you so sure he can't?"

She looked away, sullen. "No."

"I don't want to be callous, but you said yourself the Professor probably won't make it. A few hours one way or the other......given what's at stake, do you think he'd say no?"

Helena closed her eyes. She knew Victor would be willing to do anything he could to save Alpha, even if it meant sacrificing himself. She just hated to be the one to do it. She took in a deep breath, opened her eyes and wordlessly injected the stimulant into Bergman's arm. After a few moments, he moaned in pain.

Paul leaned forward as Bergman's eyes fluttered. "Professor? Can you hear me?" Victor nodded slightly, so Morrow continued, "Our life support system is down. We have less than three hours of oxygen left. I need to configure a temporary carbon dioxide converter."

Bergman's eyes began to roll up into his head, and Morrow shook his shoulders.

"Professor! I need you. Alpha needs you. Please, you've got to try."

Victor couldn't push past the pain in order to think clearly. Breathing was becoming a chore, and he couldn't remember why he was in this state. The confusion within his mind began to close in, and he felt panic wash over him. His eyes opened slightly and he looked at Helena. The childlike vulnerability in his voice made her throat tighten with emotion.

"Helena...... where's John?"

Paul began to speak, but was silenced by Helena's hand on his arm. Her stern look told him in no uncertain terms, to keep still.

Her voice was sweet, "He's in Main Mission, Victor."

"Please....I want to see him."

"He can't leave there just now, but I'm sure he'll see you soon."

Victor digested the information, and his mind wandered. "A converter....."

Paul pitched his voice soft like Helena's. "Yes, Professor, a carbon dioxide converter. The Commander needs the information."

Russell shot Morrow a disapproving look, but said nothing. Bergman swallowed hard and tried to force his sluggish mind into moving: John needed him.

"Catalytic...."

"Catalytic? Professor, we're talking about Alpha's life support, not an antique car converter."

Bergman shook his head slightly, the effort almost too much for him. "Same basic technology."

"Fine, but we have to build one, and we have," Paul looked at his chronometer, "less than two hours now."

His throat felt like a piece of sandpaper, and Victor swallowed hard. Helena picked up a glass of water from the nearby table, and gently lifted Bergman's head with one hand, giving him a sip of water from the other. She lay his head carefully back on the pillow, and brushed a soft hand over his cheek. He tried to smile at her, but only succeeded in a slight twitch of his lips. Paul tried not to show his impatience, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult.

"Professor.....the converter."

Bergman looked toward Morrow and nodded slightly.

"Catalytic converter...."

"Yes, I believe you already said that...."

"In my quarters."

"What?"

"Old Chevy convertible....only thing left of her...."

"And?"

Victor grimaced in pain, and Helena adjusted the way he was lying on the bed, trying to make him more comfortable. He weakly waved her off.

"Don't worry, Helena. Nothing left to do..." He looked at Paul once again. "You'll have to change the reduction catalyst. It's set up for Nitrogen using platinum.....and rhodium."

He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, and a lump formed in Helena's throat as she realized it would probably be the last time they would be able to speak to him. There was so much left to say, but there would be no time in which to say it. She should have told him long ago what he meant to her. Helena's heart clenched, knowing that Victor's last moments wouldn't be spent comforted by those closest to him, but instead, explaining some damned catalytic theory. It was all so unfair. Helena turned away as Victor pushed himself to get the words out.

"Ethyliodide and hexane should reduce CO2 production...." He swallowed hard again, and then continued, "and create oxelate of C2O4. Second part to turn that into oxygen...."

When Bergman didn't continue, Morrow prompted him, "How?" Victor winced in pain as Paul shook him slightly, "Professor, how?"

"Paul," Helena's voice was sharp, but then softened, "let him go."

Morrow did as he was told, the distress in his eyes, plain. Helena gripped Victor's outstretched hand with hers, and brushed the backs of her fingers against his bruised cheek.

"Rest now, Victor. It's okay for you to just rest."

He let out several ragged breaths, and then tried to speak once more.

"John......"

The tears in Dr. Russell's eyes fell as Victor Bergman drifted from consciousness.

* * *

Paul spoke quickly into his commlock, "Kano?"

"Doing it now."

Paul clipped the commlock to his belt and headed toward Airlock 7.

* * *

In Main Mission, Kano nodded at Sandra, and she pressed a button on her console.

"Alan, Commander Koenig wants you to meet him at Airlock 7 immediately."

Carter's voice floated over the communications system, "Acknowledged, on my way."

She pressed another button and spoke again.

"Fraser, Carter asked me to have you meet him at Airlock 7, immediately...."

Fraser's face came onto the screen, "Acknowledged."

Kano watched as Benes contacted each member of the landing party, and after each call, David Kano deactivated the communication chip on each person's commlock. He looked at his chronometer; he had exactly four minutes to meet Paul at the airlock. And beyond that, they had less than 90 minutes to save Alpha's life support, or evacuate to Bintoss. Either way, Kano wasn't so sure he'd live to see another day.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Paul stood behind the closed doors of Airlock Seven, waiting for the landing party. Kano observed quietly from around the corner, a stun gun clutched tightly in his hand. Carter and Fraser arrived at the same time and Carter was the first to speak.

"Commander call you too?"

Fraser looked at him in confusion. "Sandra said you wanted to see me here...."

"Me?" Fraser nodded. "She must have meant the Commander."

Fraser shrugged, "Any idea what this is about?"

"Not really, everything for the evacuation is moving along smoothly. I don't think we'll have any problems there."

* * *

Natarak moved quickly down the corridor, thankful for Koenig's long stride. She hit a button on the commlock and tried to raise Thontal, but to no avail. She tried all the members of the landing party in turn, but none of them answered. Then she tried to reach Main Mission, but the commlock wasn't working. Koenig's pace slowed to a stop as Natarak quickly considered the possibilities. The odds of the commlock going dead now were astronomical without an outside influence. Her instincts told her it was a trap. Anger played across Koenig's face, and instead of heading toward airlock seven, he moved quickly toward the Med Bay, unholstering the stun gun from his side as he went.

* * *

The rest of the members of the landing party entered the corridor outside the airlock.

Carter frowned. "All of you were called?"

Washington answered, "Yeah, and none of our commlocks are working now."

Carter and Fraser quickly tried theirs, only to find out they were dead.

Carter's voice held anger, "This isn't right. We've been set-up."

The doors to the airlock opened and Paul smiled at them. "Looking for me?"

Led by Carter and Fraser, the landing party rushed into the small space, their intended vengeance clear. And even though there was no sign of Koenig, as soon as they had cleared the door, Kano hit a button on his commlock.

"Sandra, now!"

The doors slammed shut, and everything but oxygen was removed from the airlock. Paul floated carefully toward the ceiling in the dark, as the gravity and any molecule of light disappeared. The screams he heard all around him vibrated back from the walls and into his bones. It sent an unnatural shiver up his spine. After several long minutes, Paul noted that he no longer heard any cries of aguish. In the pitch black, he reached for his commlock and hit a button.

"Sandra, restore light and gravity to airlock seven please."

A millisecond later, the lights came up, and Paul landed with a slight thud on the floor. He stared at the bodies laying there, and quickly kneeled next to the nearest one, which happened to be Lucas Washington. Morrow checked for a pulse, but there was none. The doors to the airlock opened and Kano stepped in, quickly bending down to help Paul check for life signs.

"Carter's alive!"

Kano reached for Fraser's wrist. "So's Fraser. The rest are all dead."

Paul looked into the computer tech's eyes. "We had no choice, Kano, you have to remember that."

"If we had just had more time to have computer do an analysis..."

"But we didn't." Morrow hit a button on the commlock. "Dr. Russell, this is Morrow. I need a medical team to airlock seven immediately. We've had casualties, two unconscious, four dead."

Matthias answered, "I'll send a team right away, but Paul, you should know... Commander Koenig was just here, and he was very agitated. He insisted that Dr. Russell leave Med Bay with him."

Alarm seeped into Paul's voice, "Where did they go?"

"I'm not sure, Paul, but I thought I heard him say something about an Eagle."

"Oh Damn!" Morrow switched channels on the commlock, his voice full of tension, "Sandra, this is Paul. Send a security team to all launching pads. Commander Koenig has taken Dr. Russell, and I believe his intention is to take her to Bintoss. He must be stopped. Tell them to use force if necessary."

"Yes, Paul."

He hooked his commlock on his belt and looked at David. "We don't have time for this.... listen,

you oversee work on the Professor's converter, and I'll see what I can do about the Commander."

Kano nodded, and the two of them ran off in opposite directions.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Koenig could hear the pounding footsteps running somewhere behind them in the corridor. Using Helena's commlock, he hit a button and the doors to Eagle Bay Five slid open. He shoved Helena inside just as a security team rounded the corner. He fired his weapon, and knocked out the first two men. He stepped inside the door and closed them, pushing Dr. Russell toward the Eagle sitting on the pad. As they entered the ship, the security team ran through the bay doors, firing their weapons in Koenig's direction. He fired back before closing and locking the doors to the Eagle. He roughly grabbed Helena's arm, shoving her in front of him toward the cockpit.

Her voice was filled with fear, "John..... John, please don't do this. _Please_."

Koenig looked at her with no emotion. "Sit down and shut-up."

Russell hesitated, "John, no..."

He grabbed her and threw her down toward the co-pilot's chair, pointing the stun gun at her. "I said sit down and get strapped in. Now."

She moved to comply, but spoke again. "John, I know you're in there. Please, help me. Don't let this happen."

Koenig grabbed his head in pain. Natarak howled as the spirit within roared at her with all his might. Helena started toward him, but Koenig pointed the gun at her, still grimacing in pain. After a moment, it was gone, and Koenig was once again composed. Helena opened her mouth to speak, but he switched the stun lever to kill and pointed the weapon at her.

"One more word, Dr. Russell, and it will be your last."

Shaking with fright, Helena looked at the man she loved more than any other. Tears filled her eyes, and even as he strapped in and began his launch sequence, she prayed that John Koenig would find a way to take back control. The tears spilled down her face as they lifted off, and she realized it wasn't going to happen. As her desperation overwhelmed her, Helena Russell broke down and cried, harder than she had ever remembered.

The being inside Natarak's consciousness screamed out in anger.

"_Stop! I will not allow you to harm her!"_

"_There is little you can do, John Koenig. And soon enough the two of you will be inferons to Zentor and Peratha. They are the two oldest and most venerable of our people. It is an honor to be chosen for them."_

"_An honor? It's murder. You're going first to rob us of our bodies, and then our minds. We'll be dead within minutes. It's murder."_

"_Fine. Call it what you like, it will not change it. Zentor and Peratha will take the two of you, and once the rest of your people have evacuated to Bintoss, they also will become inferons to our people."_

"_My people will fight you."_

"_Your people have no options, Koenig. In less than an hour, they will be without oxygen."_

Koenig didn't answer her. The reality of the situation on Alpha bringing on an all too familiar sense of despair. He could only hope that Paul would somehow find a way to prevent it from happening. His immediately problem was looking for a way to help Helena......


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Kano was just making the final connections of the modified converter to the life support system, when Paul entered quickly.

"Kano?"

The computer tech shrugged as he snapped the final ring around the metal, tightening it. "It's anyone's guess, Paul. What about the Commander?"

Morrow let out a long breath of air, "I'm afraid he took off in an Eagle with Dr. Russell as a hostage."

"Did you send someone after him?"

"Not yet. Our more immediate problem is fixing life support. If we don't, none of it will matter." He looked at Kano. "Are you ready?"

"It's either going to work, or it isn't, there's no sense in prolonging it."

Paul pressed a button on his commlock. "Okay Sandra, restart the life support system."

The already dim lights in life support flickered. And nothing happened.

"Kano....."

David rechecked the converter configuration, and all the physical connections, but he could find nothing awry. "I don't know, Paul. According to everything we know, this should work."

"Well it isn't." The two men stared at each other, then Paul pat Kano's shoulder. "Do what you can. I'll be in Main Mission."

Kano nodded as Paul turned and left the room. If only the Professor were there to help him.

* * *

Helena stared at the massive crystals protruding from the walls, ceiling and floor of the bright room. Under any other circumstance, it would have been beautiful. She involuntarily shivered as Koenig turned to look at her, stretching his hand out toward her.

"Don't be afraid, it won't hurt."

Her voice held a sharp edge to it, "No, it'll just kill me."

A frown creased his brow. "Is there nothing I can say?"

"You aren't John Koenig. Let me speak with him."

Natarak smiled with John's lips. "No."

The booming voice filled the room, although Helena wasn't sure if she actually heard it, or only felt it. "Natarak, let her speak with him."

"Why, Zentor? It serves no purpose."

A soft feminine voice answered, "Natarak, you are too young to understand. The beings known as Koenig and Russell are much as Zentor and I were in their forms. Our way has never been filled with cruelty. Let them speak to each other once more. It will harm nothing. They are not strong enough to resist us. Let them have one last moment together."

"But Peratha--"

Zentor's voice interrupted her, "--Enough Natarak. Do as you are instructed."

Helena could feel the sting of tears in her eyes as Koenig turned toward her, a familiar look in his large blue eyes. She held her arms out to him.

"John...."

He stepped close to her, pulling her tightly against him. "Shh, Helena, it's all right."

She gripped him hard with her hands, crying into his chest. "Oh John, I thought I'd lost you."

He kissed her head. "I'm so sorry, Helena. I didn't want.... I couldn't stop it."

She looked up into his face and saw the large tears forming in the crystal blue of his eyes. "It wasn't your fault, John, I know that."

Koenig placed both of his hands on either side of her face, pulling her up to his lips. He kissed her deeply, and then embraced her as though he would never let go. Helena whispered against him.

"Isn't there anything we can do?"

He leaned closer to her. "I honestly don't know, Helena. Natarak knows my thoughts as I think them...." Even as he said it, a seed entered his mind. He shoved it from consciousness. Koenig turned to look toward the large crystals encased in the middle of the chamber. "Zentor..... I am meant for you, is that true?"

"Yes, John Koenig, that is true."

"And Helena is meant for Peratha, correct?"

"Yes, that is also true."

"And all of you once lived as humanoids?"

"Yes, thousands of your years ago. We abandoned the form so that we could devote ourselves to other pursuits, unencumbered by our bodies."

"You and Peratha.....love each other?"

"Yes. And in that way, you and Dr. Russell will still be together."

"How could a society as obviously advanced as yours be content to steal bodies, murdering those who currently exist in them?"

"You do not understand, John Koenig."

"Then explain it to me."

As Zentor spoke, John moved out of Helena's embrace, and slowly walked around the room, as though studying its composition.

"Our race must survive, John Koenig. We are not immortal, and in our current forms, many of us are dying. As beings of light, we are unable to reproduce ourselves. Every two thousand years we must return to a humanoid form in order to create young Bintossians."

"So this is not the first time you have stolen lives?"

"A first for this generation. You see, we are born and die in humanoid form. But we exist for two centuries as light in between. For billions of years, Bintoss has survived in this manner."

Helena's voice shook with anger, "It sounds very selfish to me."

Peratha answered, "But it is not, Dr. Russell. While we exist in the forms of light, we can travel to any distance, learn things we would never know otherwise; our culture is as advanced as it is because of this ability, and we share this information freely with any beings who ask. But, as we grow old, we gradually lose the ability to project our light beyond the confines of these crystals."

"Natarak can...." Koenig commented.

"Yes. She is still young enough to do so; most of us cannot, which is why we require your people to come to us. Your colleagues did away with the only other Bintossians who could still project themselves beyond this chamber. A few hundred humanoid lives every two centuries is a small price for the universe to pay for all of the knowledge that we accumulate and give out freely."

Koenig nodded, "Yes, I can see that."

Helena looked at him sharply, "John, how can you say that?"

He walked over to her, taking her by the arms, "Don't you see Helena, we have an opportunity here to be a part of something bigger than ourselves."

Shocked by his words, Helena pushed slightly away from him. "Have you taken leave of your senses, John? Do you know what you're saying?"

"Yes, yes I do. We can be together, Helena, like we've always wanted, but will probably never have...."

Russell backed away from him further, believing that Natarak had taken him back. "You can't mean it, John. What about everyone on Alpha?"

"Zentor, I will give of myself willingly to you. I only ask that you take me first. I....I can't bear to watch Helena....."

Helena felt sick, unable to accept the words she heard from Koenig's mouth. She felt tears flowing down her cheeks, but her emotions inside were beginning to numb.

"Prepare yourself, John Koenig. You will make an extraordinary Inferon. Natarak, you must leave him now and return to your crystal."

As Natarak fled the body and mind of John Koenig, she felt something. It was an idea, a seed of a plan. And it caused her to panic.

"_No! Stop him!"_

But it was too late. As soon as Koenig felt Natarak's influence leave him, he grabbed the laser gun still attached to his belt, and fired a broad beam through the chamber. Crystals begin to explode into hulks of burnt masses, and he kept firing. Helena covered her ears as the ethereal screams of the Bintossians filled the small room. Koenig continued to fire, until there was nothing left but darkened, melted masses of smoking husks. He saw the spark ignite from the middle of the room, and as the massive explosion began, he grabbed Helena, and ran for the Eagle.


	20. Chapter Twenty

Morrow pressed a button on his console. "Kano? We're cutting it a little close... how's it coming?"

"Doing the best we can, Paul. As far as we can tell, the problem's with the material we've adapted in the converter. We're working on it."

"We have less than fifteen minutes of breathable air, Kano. I'm putting the evacuation Eagles on standby. You and your crew get into suits. I can put the Eagles in orbit until we have no other choice. As soon as I've secured everything up here, I'll be down."

"We'll do our best, Paul, but it's not promising."

Morrow turned to Sandra. "Begin evacuation procedure. Get everyone into the Eagles, ready for launch."

Sandra nodded and began pressing buttons on her console. Her brow furrowed.

"Paul......I'm getting unusual readings from the surface of the planet."

"What kind of readings?"

"It looks like several major explosions. The Commander and Dr. Russell, they're still down there..."

"If they're even still alive...."

Sandra's face turned ashen, "Paul, whatever it is, it's causing the atmosphere to change, if it keeps going, it will no longer be breathable."

"That's impossible."

She shook her head, "I estimate that the air will no longer support carbon-based life within thirty minutes."

Morrow sat down in his chair. "Well. That's it then, isn't it...." He held Sandra's eyes with his own, "In fifteen minutes they'll be no air on Alpha, and in thirty, none on the planet."

"What will we do?"

"We'll have to take our chances in the Eagles. If we're careful, each Eagle has enough supplies and fuel to last for about two weeks. We might find a planet in that time."

Sandra Benes looked down at her console, fighting the desperation that had tightened her chest. She saw a familiar blip on her monitor.

"Paul! It's the Commander's Eagle... it's returning!"

"Main screen."

Benes put the image on the main screen, and the Eagle was moving quickly toward Alpha.

"Try and raise him."

"Main Mission to Commander Koenig, come in Commander."

There was nothing.

"Moonbase Alpha to Eagle One, come in Commander Koenig." She looked at Morrow, "Nothing."

"Run a scan on the Eagle for life forms."

Sandra looked up at him. "Two human life forms aboard. But Paul, the Eagle appears to be heavily damaged. Maybe the explosions...."

Morrow stood, "I'm heading to the landing pad. I'll let you know. And Sandra... you'd better put on a suit."

* * *

The doors to the landing bay opened, and Koenig stood face to face with Paul Morrow pointing a laser gun at him. Koenig smiled.

"Easy Paul, it's me." Morrow frowned at him, so Koenig continued, "Look, I don't have a way to prove it, so you're going to have to take my word for it. What's our status?"

Morrow still glared, so Helena jumped in. "Paul, it's really the Commander. He destroyed the main power source on the planet, and we barely escaped with our lives."

Paul lowered the gun. "That explains the explosions we saw. The atmosphere down on the planet is giving way...."

Koenig nodded, "Yes, which is why you'd better tell me where we stand..."

"Kano has tried to implement the Professor's catalytic converter as a stop gap measure, but it isn't working. Everyone is on standby for evacuation to the Eagles."

Koenig looked at his chronometer. "Get the Eagles into orbit now, we can't afford to cut it any closer. Helena, go out on the rescue Eagle."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to put on a suit and see if we can't pull this thing out. Don't worry, if it doesn't work, I'll be out on the last Eagle before my suit runs out of air, I promise...." He turned to Morrow as Helena left. "Get everyone off this rock Paul, then it's you, me and Kano on this."

"Yes sir. Commander? It's good to have you back."

Koenig nodded, and the two men quickly moved into action.


	21. Chapter Twenty One

The lights flickered and the air was getting thin.

"Okay, visors down."

The three men flipped down the visors on their space suits and continued working on the small converter that theoretically could save Alpha.

"Paul, have you checked in with Sandra?"

"The Eagles have established orbit, sir. Medical evacuated out on the Rescue Eagle."

"Carter and Fraser?"

"Matthias says they're doing well, Commander. No ill-effects."

Koenig grimaced as he tried to pull off the casing of the converter, then he looked at Morrow. "And Victor?"

"I'm sorry, Commander, there's been no change."

"I wish he was down here now.... I don't remember his class on early life support theory all that well. It was a long time, and a lot of technology ago."

Paul handed him a strip of material coated with Ethyliodide, and another with Hexane. "You studied with Professor Bergman?"

A small smile tugged at Koenig's lips as he stretched the material across an inside panel of the old car converter. "Yes. I was still in High School when I first met him, it was a summer class at Oxford. Victor was a visiting guest lecturer. I had read about him in the science journals and my parents let me go to England to take the class." Koenig mounted the pieces to the converter and snapped down the casing as he continued, his voice taking on a faraway quality. "They were killed in a plane crash while I was there. Victor was very kind to me...."

Kano piped up, "I thought you studied with Professor Bergman at MIT."

Koenig mounted the converter to the main life support apparatus. "I did. He was head of the astrophysics department." He looked at Kano. "I wouldn't have made it without him."

Seeing the tears forming in Koenig's eyes, David turned the man's attention back to the work. "Do you need a tighter seal?"

Koenig looked down at the converter. "I don't think so. This should do it." John turned to Paul. "Okay, restart it."

The lights flickered for a moment, and then the sound of the life support system kicking in vibrated the metal of their space suits. Koenig tentatively lifted his visor and took a breath.

"We've got air. Get everybody back down here Paul, and get the technical department busy on building a new converter." A slight smile twitched his lips, "I don't know how much longer Victor's chevy can keep us going...."

Kano and David smiled as they watched John Koenig leave the room, heading for Main Mission.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

She watched him from her office, the cloud of sadness hovering all around him. He hadn't left Victor's side since she and Matthias had moved him back into the Med Lab. Helena looked down at the note in her hands, afraid of what it might do to him once he read it; but she had promised Victor. She walked up behind him, laying a soft hand on his shoulder.

"You should get some sleep, John."

He shook his head, "I can't leave him, Helena."

"It wasn't your fault. Victor knows that."

"I should have been able to stop it."

Helena knelt next to him, covering his hand with hers. "How, John? An alien life form had control of you. Victor would never blame you for this. You know that."

He nodded. "That's the worst part."

Helena stood, and handed him the note. "He wanted you to have this."

Koenig looked up at her as he took the folded piece of paper. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then Helena brushed her hand across his cheek, and left him alone. With shaking hands, Koenig opened the note and read the hastily written words.

_John:_

_Please forgive me for what I'm about to do, because in the end, I know you will suffer tremendously for it. But I believe it to be in the best interest of Alpha, and that must outweigh any other considerations. It is my hope if you're reading this, that everything did turn out for the best, and my choice was the right one. There are so many things that I should have told you, John, and for these omissions, I am deeply sorry, as there is not time now but to tell you one. I would like you to remember that even in the darkest of moments, there is hope. For I was devastated you see, when my son was taken from me; I believed I would never again know joy. But then one summer at Oxford, I found him, and I remembered what it meant to love. You have given me so much more than you will ever know. I could not be prouder of the man you have become, John, nor could I love you more if you were my own. _

_I will be with you always in spirit,_

_Victor_

The note crumpled in Koenig's fist as he bent forward in his chair, sobbing. He felt the soft hands tighten around his shoulders, and leaned into her embrace. Helena held him close, gently rocking him.

"It's okay, John. I'm here with you."

For a long time, Koenig wept. Helena let go of him only after she felt the last of his sobs dissipate. She knelt next to his chair, and looked up into his swollen, red eyes, but waited for him to speak.

His voice was soft with forlorn sadness, "Isn't there anything we can do?"

She shook her head, "I'm afraid not, John. By all rights, he shouldn't have lasted this long. His injuries were quite severe." She saw the guilt flash in his eyes, and she touched his hand. "I didn't mean that you--"

"--I know you didn't, but I can't help the way I feel."

Helena saw the crumpled note in his hands and gently pulled it from him. He held her eyes with his for a long moment before looking away in acquiescence. Carefully Helena opened the crinkled paper, straightening it out to read. Her eyes filled with tears, which slowly slid down her face. When she finished, she gently folded the note back into its original shape, and silently handed it to Koenig.

"I never knew Victor had a son."

"His wife and son were killed in a car crash more than thirty years ago."

Helena glanced over at the still figure on the bed, the glint of the gold band on his right pinky finger suddenly becoming clear. "His ring...."

"It was his wedding band. He never could bear the idea of being without it." Tears filled his eyes, but none fell. "The summer I met Victor at Oxford, my parents died. I was devastated. I had never been so alone, as I was those first few weeks after. I remember one night, I couldn't even cry myself to sleep. Victor found me wandering the halls of the dormitory, inconsolable. He sat on the edge of my bed all night long, and just held my hand. The following year I was supposed to begin studies at MIT, but I quickly realized that it would be impossible for me to afford all of it without them, so I withdrew before I ever started."

"But John, you graduated from MIT."

He looked at the man lying a few feet away. "Yes, I did. But only because of Victor. He took care of me, Helena; everything I am is because of him." He turned back to face her, tears running down his cheeks. "I'll be lost without him."

"There is something you can do for him, John."

His eyes brightened slightly, "What?"

"Let him go. I think you're the reason he's still hanging on. He needs to know you'll be all right, John. He needs to hear you say that it's okay for him to go." She could see the strength of the emotions swirling behind the blue eyes. "I know it's hard, but if you love him, you'll let him go."

Koenig looked up at her sharply, the words raising a memory. And he knew there was no choice. Victor would hate lying in a bed, unconscious. John stood up, and took Helena's hands in his own. He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the cheek.

"Can I have a few minutes with him?"

"I'll be in my office when you need me."

He watched her walk into her office, closing the door behind her. John turned toward the bed, and screwing up his courage, stepped over to it, and sat on the edge. He picked up the hand closest to him and held it between his.

"I wish I could talk to you right now, Victor." He rubbed the cold hand between his gently. "I couldn't have made it this far without you, and how I'm going to get by without you to lean on, I don't know. I can only promise to do my best to try and make you proud of me. Helena says if I love you, I'll let you go now. Well I do love you, Victor, and that's why it's so difficult to lose you. But I don't want you to suffer another moment of pain." John leaned in close to the man who had become his second father. "I want you to go to your rest, Victor, and know that you'll always be in my heart."

Koenig closed his eyes as tear after tear rolled down his face, falling onto Victor's cheeks. John couldn't bear to watch the moment that Victor Bergman would cease to exist. His emotions had become so overwhelming, he thought he felt the hand in his move, but he knew that was impossible. The weak voice a moment later, however, could not be ignored.

"John?"

Koenig's eyes snapped open, and Victor sleepily looked at him. John smiled, and softly wiped away his own tears from the older man's face.

"Decided to stick around?"

Bergman's mouth twisted into a slight grin, "Can't trust you to leave you alone." His voice was a bare whisper, "You all right, John?"

Koenig wiped the tears from his own face, "I'm fine now."

Victor smiled, "I guess we both are."

Bergman grasped Koenig's hand tightly as Helena walked back into the room. She leaned over her patient, quickly checking his condition.

"Welcome back."

"Thank you."

Helena put an arm around John's shoulders, "He isn't completely out of the woods yet, you know, we should let him get some sleep."

John looked down at Victor, and said, "I'm just going to sit here with him until he falls asleep. Someone did that for me once when I needed it."

Helena kissed Koenig's cheek, then leaned over and kissed Victor's forehead. "Alpha was certainly boring without the two of you in it."

The two men laughed softly as she left the Med Lab.

Victor's eyelids were growing heavy, and his voice was laden with sleep. "You make sure to hold onto that one John."

"I plan to. Now go to sleep."

"Whatever you say, my boy....."

Victor's voice drifted off as sleep overcame him. John Koenig held his mentor's hand until he was sound asleep, then quietly tucked him tightly under the blanket, and headed for his quarters. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept. But as he passed down the corridor by Dr. Russell's room, he thought better of sleep.....


End file.
